"So what do you want to do?" Paul said, "We can hit the clubs or just go for drinks again, or we can have dinner, catch a movie. There's supposed to be a really good scary movie playing right now. I read somewhere that people are even scared to eat popcorn in the theater,...or we could always stay in and play video games, whatever you want."

Will listened as he kept throwing out suggestions. Will shrugged, "Doesn't matter to me." he said. Truthfully he didnt care if they just sat and looked at each other as long as they were together, the night would be perfect.

"Come on Will there must be something that appeals to you." Paul said.

Will have him a saucy grin. "Oh trust me there is." he said.

Paul rolled his eyes… "Concentrate Horton." he teased.

"Seriously, you pick." Will said. "It really doesn't matter to me, I don't have a preference."

"Okay, then let's go catch the basketball game at the college and we can get something to eat after." Paul said.

"Mmmkay." Will agreed readily.

"Great, it's just starting so, we should get going." Paul said looking at his watch.

Will nodded and grabbed his keys. He waited for Paul to walk out, then he followed and pulled the door closed behind them.

They slipped into the gym, just about in the middle of the first half and found their way to their seats. Paul asked if he wanted a drink or anything, when Will declined they settled in to watch the game.

Paul watched the game intently, clearly invested, cheering and whistling with the crowd, while Will spent most of his time watching Paul.

Midway through the second half Paul glanced over and caught Will staring at him. "What do you think?" Paul asked. "Have we got a shot?"

"Huh?" Will asked.

Paul motioned to the court, "Think we have a shot at winning?" he asked again.

"Oh!" Will said, when it dawned on him what Paul was asking. He glanced at the scoreboard. "Yeah, I mean I guess." he shrugged his shoulders.

"They are playing pretty decent." Paul said.

"Yeah." Will agreed evasively.

Paul giggled. "Will, have we been watching the same game?" he asked, "We suck, we have barely scored at all in the last 5 minutes and we are losing by 20 points."

"Sorry." Will said sheepishly. "I guess I wasn't watching that close."

"Don't you like basketball?" Paul asked. "We can go, if you would rather do something else." he said.

"No, I do like it..." Will said. "I guess I was just distracted by my ridiculously hot date." he teased.

"Is that so?" Paul asked before he leaned over and kissed Will simply on the lips.

Will returned the gentle pressure. Allowing his eyes to slide closed. His heart was content.

Paul broke away and turned back to the game just as the entire gym broke out in a roar of applause and screams.

Will gave the scoreboard a cursory glance and saw that by some miracle, there was only a 10 point difference in the score now. They must have really turned it on for the second half.

Paul was again engrossed in the game and Will was captivated by him. It was so nice to just be able to be with someone, spend time with someone that accepted him for who he is… Paul never pushed him, never tried to get him to remember anything, he never even mentioned the past.

The game continued, Will did his best to concentrate on what was happening on the court but for reasons he didn't understand he was just wasn't all that into it. Paul made for a much better subject.

When the game was over Paul stood up and offered Will his hand. "You hungry?" he asked.

"Starved." Will said wagging his eyebrows suggestively.

"Why do I feel like we aren't talking about food?" Paul asked chuckling.

"I have no idea." Will said, battering his eyelashes, giving Paul his best innocent look.

"Sure you don't." Paul teased. "I guess you are completely innocent."

"Of course I am." Will said indignantly.

"Yeah, Yeah." Paul said. "I believe you."

Seriously, I am." Will said. "Now where do you want to eat, it's my treat this time so your choice…"

"Will, you are not paying for this date, I am." Paul said. "If I couldn't afford it, I wouldn't have asked you out." he winked. "Now come on, I want to go try that new Japanese Hibachi Grill outside of town."

"Ooh yum." Will said. "What are we waiting for?"

When they got to the restaurant Paul asked for a quiet table, and they were seated in a cozy corner that offered them a little privacy.

When the waitress came up and asked for their drink order, they both ordered beer. Will picked up the menu to consider his choices. He noticed that Paul just put his menu to the side without even cracking it open.

"Already know what you want?" he asked mystified. He thought Paul had said he wanted to try this restaurant.

Paul nodded. "Yes, but take your time, there is no rush, we have all the time in the world." he said indicating the open menu in Will's hands.

Paul pulled out his phone and scrolled through his emails, quickly checking to make sure there was nothing that couldn't wait while Will poured over the menu.

A short while later the waitress came back with the beer and took their food orders. "It will be right out." she said. Then she gathered the menus and hurried off.

"So." Paul said. "Have you talked to Adrienne about the job yet?" he asked.

Will rubbed the back of his neck, "Umm no." he said embarrassed.

"Why not?" Paul asked.

"It's complicated." Will said.

"What's complicated about it?" Paul asked. "You are a journalist, she needs a journalist."

"You make it sound so easy." Will said sighing.

"It is, isn't it?" Paul asked confused.

"Not really." Will said. "What if I am not a journalist anymore, who knows if I am even any good at it anymore?"

"All of that stuff Will, the skill, the talent for writing, the excitement that you felt chasing the stories… all of that is in here." Paul said placing his hand over his own heart. That stuff doesn't just go away. You are an amazing writer. I know it, hell everyone in this town knows it, you just need to believe it."

"Okay, okay." Will said relenting, "I will go. I promise." he said.

"You are going for it Will… and you are going to get it, I know it!" Paul said, a huge grin spreading across his face.

"I am going to go for it." Will agreed. This was a whole new world to him, the way Paul supported him and encouraged him to go after what he wanted, the way he reassured him that he was not just good enough but the best possible choice. Those were all things that he had never had before.

The waitress came with their food. She sat the dishes down in front of them and put extra napkins on the table. "Would you like another?" she said pointing to the beer bottles on the table.

"Sure." Paul said. "Will?"he asked.

"Oh, yeah!" Will agreed.

She nodded and went back toward the bar.

Once she had brought the beer back and took the empty bottles Will and Paul were left to eat in peace.

Will picked at his food, he was distracted watching Paul eat. He couldn't seem to tear his eyes away. Will found he liked to watch him bring his food to his mouth using the chopsticks the waitress had laid down beside their plates… Will had opted for the fork, using Chopsticks and having no coordination probably would have made for a messy meal for him.

Paul glanced up and once again Will was caught staring. "What?" Paul said chuckling, do I have food on my face or something?"

Will blushed, and shook his head, no.

"Well is my hair sticking up?" Paul asked smoothing his hair down. "You keep staring at me?"

Will's blush deepened, turning his face a deep crimson. He quickly searched his brain for a whitty comment and came up blank. "Sorry." he whispered instead.

"Don't be sorry!" Paul said. "I am flattered really, but aren't you hungry?" he said pointing his chopsticks at Will's plate.

"Oh yeah." he said, twirling his fork in the noodles distractedly. He took a small bite and hummed. It was really good.

Paul watched him as he began to eat, "Do you like it?"

He asked.

Will nodded enthusiastically. "It's delicious." he said.

"Good." Paul said, taking another bite from his own plate.

"Yours good?" Will asked.

"Yeah, really good actually." Paul said. "Want to try a bite?"

Will looked at his plate skeptically, Whatever Paul was eating it looked pretty spicy. "Sure." he said after a couple minutes of contemplation.

He reached over to steal a piece with his fork, but Paul pushed his hand away. Instead he picked up the food with his chopsticks and offered it to Will.

Will's eyes twinkled as he leaned across the table, and took the food Paul offered him. Whatever silly thoughts he had about being coy or seductive disappeared the minute the flavor burst on his tongue. He immediately felt like he was on fire. He chewed the food quickly and swallowed it, chasing it with the rest of his beer.

"Wow." he said. His mouth still felt like a raging inferno. "That's pretty hot." he said, embarrassed. Paul didn't look like he was bothered by the heat.

"Too hot for you?" Paul asked.

"Nah, it's good." Will said.

Paul held up another bite, offering it to Will. Will shook his head, "You go ahead." he said. He wasn't going to embarrass himself any further. He was already feeling the need to blink back tears.

Paul smiled. "I'm sorry, I should have warned you." He said, "it takes a while to get used to the spices and the peppers."

"It's fine, it is really good." Will said, signaling to the waitress to bring another beer.

She brought it over and then offered Paul another. "Just a glass of water." he said, dismissing her.

When she came back with the water, Paul pushed it across the table to Will.

Will drank the water and when his mouth finally cooled down, he took a few more bites of his own food before pushing it away.

"Thanks." he said. "That's was awesome."

"I'm glad you liked it." Paul said, "Next time we come back I won't offer you anything that spicy."."

The waitress walked by leaving the check on the edge of the table.

Will reached over and picked it up, but Paul quickly took it from his hands. "I'm paying, remember." he said.

He laid it back in the tray with his credit card. While they waited for the waitress to pick up the check, Paul reached out and grasped Will's hand threading their fingers together. "What should we do now?" he asked. He looked at his watch, it was still pretty early.

"We could still go to the movie." Will said.

"Yeah." Paul said, "or we could save that for our next date, that gives me a reason to ask you out again."

"Oh!" Will said. "Well then I guess we can just go home then."

When the waitress brought Paul's card and the check back, he signed the receipt and picked up the card. He stood offering Will his hand, and Will stood and slid his hand into Paul's and allowed Paul to lead him out of the restaurant.

They were quiet on the way back to the apartment building, each lost to their own thoughts. Will had such a nice time, he wasn't ready for the night to end.

"So do you want to come in?" Will asked as they rode up in the elevator.

Paul looked at him hesitantly making Will nervous.

The elevator opened and they walked hand in hand down the hall. It was quiet for a Friday night, most people were probably still out since it was still early.

When they stopped in front of Will's door, Paul turned to him. "Tonight was great!" he said. "I really had a good time."

Will nodded, "Me too." he agreed. "Thank you."

"Thank you… for coming out with me tonight!" Paul said.

Will turned loose of Paul's hand and slid his hands around Paul's waist bringing their bodies together.

Paul went to him willingly, closing his arms around Will hugging him close.

"Come inside with me." Will whispered.

"I don't know if that is a good idea." Paul said.

"Why?" Will asked. "It's been a good night, it doesn't have to end yet."

Paul's eyes slid closed. Will just didn't realize how tempting he was… if he went into the apartment he didn't know if he would have the willpower to end things at a goodnight kiss.

He released Will, and he pulled the key from his pocket and turned, opening the door quickly.

They stepped into the apartment and Will swung the door closed behind them.