A/N: I have no claim to the Days of Our Lives property.

"I can't believe you're standing me up, tonight of all nights . . . Yes, I understand that your agent scheduled you for this event, but you could have canceled for tonight . . . YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW WHAT TONIGHT IS DO YOU?!" Sonny Kiriakis ends the call and stuffs his phone in his jacket. He takes a deep breath and closes his eyes as a few hot tears trickle down his face. "No sense in flying back so soon. My meeting is over and I've done my duty of visiting my family. I guess I'll take the opportunity to relax and be myself. The Spot is my next destination."

He's gotten a drink and taken a booth as far from the music as possible. It's a slow night; just a few guys dancing and a few women at the pool tables.

There seems to be only one unattached guy standing at the bar. The lights just make him glow and Sonny can't keep his eyes off him for long; luckily the guy hasn't noticed. He's wearing a red and orange polo that brings out his cobalt-blue eyes and reflects in his dark blond hair. He has high cheekbones and lips that are so inviting. That same polo clings to every curve of muscle on his frame. "What are you doing, Kiriakis? You have Paul." He looks down at his nearly empty glass of Sangria.

A full glass of his drink slides next to it. "May I join you? You look as if you need someone to talk to."

Sonny looks up at the hunk from the bar. "He did notice!" His face flushes a bit. "Please do." He gestures to the bench opposite him, and the man sits.

"Okay, here's my opening line. Why is such a handsome man looking so unhappy?" He takes a sip from his glass which looks to be only a cola.

Sonny smiles at the sincerely asked yet cheesy question. "Tonight is my anniversary with my boyfriend."

"Oh. So, is he coming later?"

"No. He's attending a party tonight with someone else, something he was strongly urged to attend."

"I see. This is something that would not be good for you to attend with him. How long have you been together?"

"Seven years, today." he says with an expression of pride and sadness.

"That's a long time to be sharing his closet. You're here tonight, so you're out yourself?"

Sonny takes a drink and nods. "Yes. I'm in Salem on business and to visit my family."

"I've lived here all my life. Might I know your family?"

Sonny smiles in amusement. "Most likely. I work for my great-uncle's company: Titan Industries."

"Wow, you're a Kiriakis. I'm a Horton, Will Horton." He holds out his hand.

Sonny shakes the proffered hand. "I'm Jackson Kiriakis, but call me Sonny. So, Will, what do you do?"

Will smiles sardonically. "I usually tell people that I'm an editor-at-large for SONIX magazine. But truthfully, I own it."

"You look so young to own such a prestigious magazine."

"I started out as a writer there with a very smart contract. An assistant editor who was full of himself thought I was too inexperienced and gullible to make good on my contract and took liberties with a couple of my stories. He learned that I have some influences in this community that led to my taking over the magazine. I . . .uh . . . fired him." Will takes a drink before giving Sonny a wink. Sonny smiles brilliantly and Will finds himself affected. "I thought he was handsome before. With that smile, he's absolutely breath-taking!"

"To tell the truth, I'm more than just a board member at Titan. I visit my uncle's other holdings as his proxy."

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After 2 glasses of Sangria, Sonny is now on his third glass of ginger ale. "Okay. Enough about me and my romantic woes. What about you? You seem to be a pretty together guy. Why no boyfriend?"

Will's lips spread into a broad grin and he gives a little chuckle. "Pretty together? Well, maybe now, but for most of my life I was a mess. You see, Sonny, my parents were teenagers when they had me. And I grew up around a lot of family drama, partially due to my mom's youthful need for attention, mostly negative. I didn't escape unscathed by my baggage. Just as I was coming to terms with my sexual identity, I was accused of murder. I had to make what became the front page confession of being on a date here with a guy as my alibi."

"Whew. You had to publicly out yourself. That took some courage."

"Right; courage." Will rolls his eyes. "I don't know what I would've done without the support of my family; especially that of my mother and my grandfather, who was police commissioner at the time."

Sonny barks out a laugh which causes Will to pout a little. "I'm sorry, Will, it's the thought of you coming out to your grandfather at the police station. Was that the last of your personal hurdles?"

"All but one. Before I graduated from college and I was dating regularly, I soon developed a little problem." Will looks away from Sonny, his cheeks flushing.

"Will, what was the problem?"

Will takes a deep breath and says, "Liquor makes my pants fly off."

"What?!" Sonny guffaws.

"Drinking loosens my inhibitions. That's why I only drink soda when I come to The Spot and I accept no drink offers. I'm not a monk. I still date, but now I'm looking for a connection; something deeper to form a relationship."

"I have that with my boyfriend, but that connection has been fraying for quite some time. I think he agreed to go to that party because he forgot our anniversary."

Will reaches out to grasp Sonny's right wrist with both hands. "Sonny Kiriakis, in the little time I've known you, I've come to understand that you are a sincere, caring man with a tendency for selflessness. I also think you are a very attractive man. Your boyfriend is a fool to treat you this way."

At that moment, they lock eyes and a spark ignites where their hands touch. Sonny pulls his hand away to worry at his bottom lip. He picks up his glass and finishes his beverage.

"Hey, Sonny, it's still early evening. How about I treat you to dinner at Brady's Pub?"

"Oh, I couldn't let you do that."

"Oh, come on. I won't just let you be alone on your anniversary. Besides, I get the food for free since I own the place."

"You also own a pub?" Sonny seems a bit incredulous.

"I do. It was my great-grandma's place. When she passed, I couldn't let it out of the family."

Another beautiful smile crosses Sonny's face. "Okay. Let's go. And, thank you, Will."

Will gets up, picks up his messenger bag, and heads for the door. Sonny stands up but stays put as Will reaches the door. Realizing that Sonny isn't behind him, Will stops to look around. "Did you change your mind, Sonny?"

"Oh, that's right. I don't have to leave separately. Will actually wants me with him; even to be seen with him." Sonny quickly pulls on his black, leather jacket over his black shirt with tiny gold triangles. They both smile as Sonny catches up to Will. Sonny steps outside first while Will holds the door open. Unaware they've done so, Sonny and Will cross the square holding hands.

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"Man, I'm stuffed." Sonny sits back while wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Yeah, shepherd's pie will stick to your ribs. Even the fish and chips dinner I had isn't as filling. Would you like some more coffee?"

"Please." He hands his cup over to Will. Sonny's eyes follow Will's backside to the coffee station. "That is one nice ass! Paul has a really nice one, too. I just wish he'd let me have it every now and then. But, no, Paul is a pitcher both on and off the field. He definitely looks good out on the mound."

Will returns to the table and sets down the cups. As he sits, he just happens to notice Sonny's particular expression that's both proud and proprietary. "Oh, gosh. I knew you seemed vaguely familiar, but now I remember. You're my baseball enigma!"

"What?" Sonny's eyes widen in sudden fear.

Will extracts a Tablet from his messenger bag. He pulls up some photos. "One of the things I like best about owning SONIX is all the information I become privy to. No one else I know has noticed this, but since it involves baseball and a mysterious, handsome man, I did." He holds up a photo featuring Paul Narita at a press conference. "I've seen quite a few like this. Only two people appear in every one. The athlete at the table and," he touches an almost obscure figure a the back of the crowd around the table. That section of the photo magnifies several times and then clarifies. It is certainly Sonny watching Paul proudly, "you wearing the same expression on your face that I just now saw." He closes his Tablet and puts it back in his bag.

Sonny's scalp crawls and panic rises within him. "Please, Will. You can't publish what you know! Paul has no idea I was ever there. It could harm his career if he's outed." He grabs Will's hand in both of his and licks his own lips. "I-I'll do anything you want, if you'll keep it to yourself!"

Will's heart flips, knowing full well what Sonny is offering him. He pulls Sonny's hands into each of his. "Sonny, as tempting as it is, I won't take anything from you that isn't given by you willingly. On my honor, I won't publish this information. It was for my own personal interest anyway." He pulls Sonny's hands to his lips and kisses them. Placing their hands on the table, Will releases Sonny's.

Sonny's eyes follow their hands from Will's lips to the table. When he looks back up at Will's face, there is such a look of longing present.. It makes Sonny's heart race. "Will is such a beautiful man. He seems so lonely, so vulnerable. Do I truly want him? Can I let myself have him?" Sonny again reaches out for Will's hand, using his thumb to trace circles on the back of it. Sonny swallows convulsively. "Will, show me where you live."

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They are kissing even as they reach the front door of Will's apartment. For Sonny, just the act of kissing at someone's front door is as heady as the kisses themselves. Will pauses just long enough to unlock and open the door. They practically fall through the door together as arms and legs entwine. Somebody's foot kicks the door closed. They don't stop kissing or touching as they pass through the apartment to get to the bedroom.

If Sonny had looked around, he would see an apartment tastefully decorated in browns and gold with accents of navy; from the beige walls to the leather furniture and the navy window treatments and matching throw pillows. It was decorated as a gift from Will's grandmother Kate. He had long ago gotten rid of all the expensive knickknacks that he thought cluttered the place.

When they reach the bedroom, Will switches on one little lamp, and the light bathes the room softly. Will slides his hands across Sonny's chest and over his shoulders. "Sonny, are you sure about this? I mean you and Paul . . ."

"I'm not thinking about Paul right now. I'm thinking about you and me. I do want you, Will." He reaches out to touch Will's lips with his thumb.

Will throws his arms over Sonny's shoulders to resume kissing him. Sonny reaches down and pulls up Will's shirt. Will raises his arms so Sonny can lift his shirt off. Will then unbuttons Sonny's shirt. Both now bare-chested, their hands tenderly explore each other. When both are naked and on the bed, the explorations continues. Will is both cuddling with and stroking Sonny. Repositioning himself, Sonny has oral access to Will's manhood which also gives Will the same access to Sonny's. They share this intimate act to the best of their abilities, while Sonny carefully investigates Will's most sensitive regions and starts massaging his rosebud.

"Sonny," Will gasps as Sonny's heart sinks at being stopped in his intentions, "would you make love to me?"

Sonny freezes all movement. Hearing that request nearly makes him release.

"Sonny, are you okay?" Will is very concerned by Sonny's lack of response.

"Sorry, Will. I needed to get myself under control. There's nothing I'd like more!"

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Will wakes to the feel of his neck being nuzzled. He sits up and wipes the sleep from his eyes. He smiles broadly to see Sonny's serene, smiling face next to him. "You stayed!"

"Of course, Will. I'm not one to slink off in the middle of the night, if I don't have to. I love that we have nothing to hide."

Will touches Sonny's face and continues the caress down his neck and over his shoulder. "No regrets, Sonny?"

"Not one, Will. Everything we did last night was . . . perfect." Then his lips form a grim line as his eyes take on a distant look. "But I now need to get back to my real life and my secretive half-relationship." Sonny gets off the bed and starts dressing.

Looking a trifle disappointed, Will asks, "No shower?"

Sonny smiles but at only a fraction of it's wattage. "I want to go home with the smell of the two of us reminding me of what we had."

Will retrieves his wallet from his pants and pulls out a card. "Sonny, take my business card. It has all of my contact information. You can get in touch with me anytime; whether you just need to talk or . . . or you find yourself single again." He gives Will a small peck on the cheek.

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Sonny stops at the sidewalk just outside Will's apartment building and looks back up at it, before starting across the square. He pulls out his phone to call a number. "Of course, it goes straight to his Voice-mail. So, it begins again."

"Mr. Narita, this is Mr. Kiriakis. We need to discuss our mutual contract. Please, make an appointment with me as soon as possible."

THE END—Comments most welcome.