"How does the flathunt go?" Lester asked without looking up from the paper. It was the first time he and Connor were alone since Connor and Abby had come back and Lester did his best to pretend that everything was the same as it had been.
"Pretty good. Abby found somewhere they allow pets so she can take Rex home."
"Good."
"I'm going to stay on Jess' couch a little longer. Nothing feels right."
"You're not moving in with Abby?" Lester was surprised. He had assumed…
"After a year of being almost literally attached to the hip we both need some space."
"You know you could come back if you want." He said it as if it was just a suggestion and not like his heart was racing in his chest.
Lester could hear the scrape of Connor's chair, steps and then Connor took the paper from him so that Lester couldn't hide anymore.
Lester faked an annoyed sigh before he looked up at Connor and regretted it immediately. Connor had this soft, warm look in his eyes like Lester was everything he had missed during the last year, like Lester was something beautiful and precious that he didn't want to miss again.
Connor needed to stop with that look. It made Lester feel things.
"You mean back to you?"
Lester shrugged. "If you want." He had spent the last year trying to distance himself from the idea that Connor would come back to him. Connor had had a crush on Abby since Lester had first met him and two people, stranded somewhere under extreme circumstances… "I also had no desire to root through your magazines in the spare room."
"So you want me in your guest room again?" Connor asked with a tiny smile.
No, Lester thought, I want you in my bed and in my life and if you ever leave me again I'll sic the mammoth on you.
Something must have shown on his face because suddenly Connor leaned down and kissed him.
"I'll try not to put my socks in the oven again," He murmured against Lester's lips.
Against his will, Lester smiled. "Now", he said, straightening his shoulders, "don't you have work to do?"
Connor needed to stop grinning, too. It made Lester feel things as well. Soft, squishy, traitorous things that he had locked deep inside his chest like a can of worms that suddenly bust open. And then he switched to the puppy dog eyes and the worms spread everywhere inside Lester.
"Jess lives on take-out and I'll be at yours with my stuff at eight and- "
"Fine, I'll cook", the exasperation was played. Lester loved cooking. It relaxed him even if Connor had the tendency to cling to his back while he was doing it. Or at least he used to.
Worms, worms everywhere, putting holes into all of his defences.
Connor's smile was bright enough to outshine the sun and Lester wondered briefly how he had lived without it before he pushed all those evil wormy feelings back inside into their can where they belonged.
"Well, then I'll see you at eight. Don't let me keep you." He went back to his paper but felt Connor lean in and nuzzle his neck for a moment.
"I've missed you, too", Connor whispered, his voice so full of promise that it sent a shiver down Lester's spine.
He left then too before all those worms could escape their can again but not without a wink from the doorway that was so exaggerated and so much Connor that Lester couldn't help but feel relieved that some things still hadn't changed.