They'd argued.

Christian wanted them to seriously considering taking on the gym. Syed didn't want the reminder of it and Alec hanging over them - not to mention the money aspect involved. Christian was tempted to go behind Syed's back and get quotes and sort things out anyway but it was a lot of hard work to hide from Syed and, besides, he didn't want to hide things from him. They were a partnership. A team. And they should be in agreement of what they were doing, even if it was a compromise of 'going back to how things were before'.

It was a shame, because Christian had been feeling more motivated again when he was the manager of the gym. And he'd felt successful, with both he and Syed leading these normal lives and both being in charge at different work places. It had felt like they were grown up. And he'd begun to wonder if they'd be able to start a family soon enough, what with getting the finances in place, and maybe get a house too.

Having it all come crashing down had depressed him for a while. That's why early last week he'd been in a funk that Syed had had to pull him out of. He felt like his life was going backwards - like he'd taken one step forward and suddenly been forced to take two steps back.

He'd gone to bed mad at Syed and had turned away from him as they lay. Syed had tried to coax him round but when it became clear that he wasn't having any of it, Syed had given up and turned away from him too.

By morning they were cuddled up together. Unconsciously they'd gravitated to each other in the night and Christian woke to find himself pressed up against his lover with his leg thrown over Syed's. He propped his head up on his hand and looked at Syed for a few moments, realising that Syed had a point. Being reminded of everything by working there again wouldn't be good for them. Perhaps returning to how they were before was for the best - it could be like nothing had ever happened and they could return to whatever 'normal' was before Alec had intruded in their lives. Even if Alec had begun as Christian's client, and he still had plenty of them...

Syed woke slowly and turned his head to face Christian, who smiled down at him. "Morning."

"Morning," Syed replied, stretching his arms out then settling them back against Christian's chest. "You feeling okay?"

"Yeah," Christian said, still smiling. He touched his hand to Syed's chin. "You were right, last night. About that place being a reminder. Going back to normal... that's the best thing to do."

Syed nodded. "I'm always right, I thought you knew that."

"You think you're always right, because I let you believe it." He tickled Syed's stomach, making his lover instantly on the defensive as he sucked in a quick breath.

"Oi! Liar..." He shoved Christian lightly in the arm to get him to stop and Christian switched his attention to kissing a trail around Syed's neck and shoulders. "I was right when I said Roxy was the one using your moisturiser... I was right when I said Lucy wouldn't break and come back from Devon in less than a month...and I was right when I told you Tam wasn't the chocolate thief after he left that day a few weeks ago."

Christian raised his head and opened his mouth in mock horror. "That's because the thief was you!"

"But I was still right."

"That was cheating!"

Syed stuck his tongue out at Christian.

"That's your rebuttal? Really?" Christian said. In response, Syed nodded with a satisfied smile and then reached up, grabbed the back of Christian's neck and pulled him down into a passionate kiss. Christian fumbled to get himself on top of Syed and his hand skirted down over Syed's side, his fingers dipping under the waistband of Syed's underwear to push them down.

It was the first time since everything last week that they'd got remotely this close to having sex. Up until now their body contact had been about comfort and closeness but neither had felt confident enough to initiate anything and the mood had been sadly lacking while both dealt with the emotional impact of the kidnapping.

"Hmmmmm, I've missed this," Syed murmured between kisses, voicing the same thing Christian had just been thinking.

Both of them fumbled and kicked to get their underwear down and off their bodies before Syed wrapped his legs around Christian to pull him in closer.

"Easy, tiger," Christian smiled. "Someone's keen."

"I love you." Syed's eyes pierced into Christian's and he felt a moment of shock. It was always a heart-warming jolt when he saw that look in Syed's eyes that made his heart speed up and skip a beat all at the same time. It was a feeling he revelled in and would never get tired of.

"Don't ever stop," he said in return and Syed's face broke out in a self-satisfied grin.

"I don't think that's possible."


Christian had sung in the shower. He hadn't done that for a while. It felt good to feel good again, if that made any sense. When he came out, one towel wrapped around his waist and the other rubbing his hair dry, he kept humming and Syed laughed while finishing making their breakfast in the kitchen wearing underwear and a t-shirt of Christian's that was too baggy on him.

"What's so funny?" Christian smiled despite trying to pretend to ask it seriously.

"Nothing!" Syed leaned against the pillar. "It's just... I'm happy that I made... this." He gestured up and down Christian's body.

"You're happy that you made... me?" Christian's eyebrows knitted in confusion with just a hint of humour.

Syed rolled his eyes. "No, that... what we did earlier put you in this good mood."

"Ahhh," Christian tilted his head back in understanding. "So you are taking credit because you are just that good in bed."

"Something like that."

"Well, credit where credit is due." Christian sidled up to Syed and took his hands in his own, leaning in and planting a soft kiss on his lips. "It's always amazing... consider my mind blown once again."

"This is doing wonders for my ego."

"What about mine?" Christian pouted.

"You're not too bad yourself."

"Hey!" Christian slapped Syed's hip since he couldn't properly reach his backside and in return Syed whipped Christian's towel off and slipped away from him before he could grab it back. "Give that back."

He grabbed hold of Syed near the sofa and they tumbled together over it with Syed landing on top and he threw the towel away from them, keeping Christian pinned down underneath him.

"This isn't fair," Christian began. "I'm naked and you have clothing on. I thought we were equal in this relationship."

"Always." Syed nodded, but then on reflection added, "Except right now."

"Cheeky git."

As they smiled at each other, the door buzzer went off.

"Who the hell is that?" Christian asked.

"How should I know?"

"Maybe they'll go away..."

The buzzer went again.

"You get it, you're closer." Christian said.

Syed clambered off him and darted over to pick up the phone. "Hello? ...Yes it is... okay, but what does that have to do with us? ...Oh okay... right, can you give us a few minutes? ...Thanks."

Syed hung up the phone, his face fallen. Christian had retrieved the towel and wrapped it around himself again. Approaching Syed, he could sense the mood change in the air.

"What's happened?" He put his hand out to Syed's shoulder.

"You'd better get dressed."

"Who is it?"

"It's a solicitor. Alec's solicitor. He says he needs to go over items from the will."

"What's that got to do with us?" Christian backed away slightly.

"According to what I was just told, quite a lot."