Jackson stopped outside the door to Metal's apartment. He heard noises inside, noises which could only be one thing according to his imagination.

He instinctively knew he didn't want to unlock the door with the spare key he had. If what he thought was happening inside, he didn't mind, but he didn't want to witness it.

He looked towards the end of the hall, and the door leading out to the stairs. He could go back, call Metal and act like he had just arrived. Could go all the way outside even, could go to the bakery a block away. Say something like, 'hey, I'm by Paulie's now. Thought I'd get a snack, you want something?'. Yeah, he could do that.

He started walking.

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"Hey, Metal! How are ya?" he grinned as his teammate picked up.

"Fine-fine. Good." The answer was a little rushed, and Metal was a tad bit winded.

"Look, I'm right next to Paulie's now… I'm in the mood for a donut or some other snack, and I thought I'd visit you. So, you want anything at Paulie's? Coffee, anything?"

He heard Metal swallow, heard him move around a little. He was pretty sure he heard him have a silent conversation with someone as well.

"Well?" Jackson pried after the silence had lasted long enough.

"Yeah, that'd be great…" he answered, "You think you could bring one of those cream filled ones, and one with jam? And two coffees, black?"

"Got a visitor already?" he knew the answer, but Metal didn't know that he knew.

"Yeah."

"Want me to come back later instead?"

"No…" Metal chuckled, "No, we were just about to put the game on."

Yeah, right…

"Alright, think I'll be there in 10-15 then…"

"Copy that…" Metal replied.

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He did his best to keep his jaw from hitting the floor when he entered the apartment a while later and found Trent sitting on the couch. He had so many questions, none of which he really wanted the answer to.

"So, which game are we watching?" Jackson asked as he placed the baked goods and the coffee on the counter.

"Uhh…" Metal looked around for a bit, "Think it was Cowboys-Rams…"

Jackson smirked a little, It definitely wasn't Cowboys against Rams. Cowboys had played Titans on Thursday , and Rams were playing Broncos come Monday. And this was a Sunday. But he enjoyed seeing Metal having to make stuff up on the go. Especially with such poor results.

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He had found it incredibly amusing when they turned the television on and couldn't find a football game matching either of the teams Metal had mentioned. But they settled for a game between the Oakland Raiders and Atlanta Falcons.

He wouldn't have guessed Metal was one to like other men, but he was happy for him either way. That being said, he would have to start calling ahead before he showed up from now on.

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[a few days later]

He had to bring it up in some way. And the run Full Metal and he went on each Tuesday was a good place to start.

"So…" he started as they ran along the length of the beach, "I actually walked up to your apartment like I usually do on Sunday."

Metal lost all of his speed, and for the first time Jackson could remember, his brother actually looked scared.

"Hey man, chill." Jackson turned and walked the few paces back to Metal, "It's alright. No one needs to know. Just want to let you know that your walls are thin."

Metal still looked a bit shell-shocked.

"Hey… It's alright…" Jackson smiled, "Talk, or breathe or something. Please."

"No one's supposed to know."

"That's alright, I'm not telling anybody else." Jackson shrugged, "So, how long have you been…"

Metal shook his head a little, "The less you know…"

"Bro…" Jackson chuckled, "I'm an ally… You know Andrew, he's gay. I wouldn't be worth anything if I didn't support the man I grew up in the same house as. And I know you and Trent are the same guys who enlisted and went through hell to fight for this country's safety."

"Andrew? Your foster brother?"

Jackson nodded, "The one who I told you beat those bullies who picked on me in second grade, yes."

"Really?"

"You're not going to say something like 'he doesn't look/act/seem gay', are you? Because you of all people should know that stereotypes don't match reality all that often." Jackson chuckled.

"No, I just…" Metal shrugged, "Never would've guessed."

Jackson nodded, "So, you and Trent… New thing, or?"

Metal shook his head a little, "Four and a half years pretty soon."

"Wow, congrats!"

Metal nodded a little.

"Guess me trying to be a wingman is kinda annoying when we're out drinking, right?"

Metal chuckled, "Think you can dial it down a few notches, yeah."

"Maybe just do it once in a while, just for show, you know…"

Metal nodded a little, "Man, this is embarrassing…"

"Your thin walls, yeah." Jackson chuckled, "Maybe… Do some renovation, insulate a bit? Or, find a new apartment? You've been bitching about all that small stuff which is wrong with that one for as long as I've known you."

Metal chuckled a bit more, "Yeah, the people who built that must've been drunk, or high."

"Or both…" Jackson chuckled, "But, definitely do something about it. Even though I support you, I never want to walk in on you and Trent in the act, okay?"

Metal nodded, "Yeah, pretty sure I can speak for both of us when I say I don't want that either."

They started moving again, at a slower pace than they had kept up until that point in their run.

"So, was I completely off the field when I tried to set you up with women?"

"No…" Metal shook his head a little, "No, I'm bi. But I think this is the healthiest relationship I've ever been in. Except the 'our friends and most of our family doesn't know' part."

Jackson chuckled, "Yeah, that must be hard, right?"

"It's weird. Still is." Metal nodded as he rounded a corner at a jog, "Imagine you want to tell EVERYONE about this amazing person you know and love, but you can't."

Jackson nodded, "Well, if you ever need someone to talk to, without any repercussions, I'm here."

"Thanks." Metal smiled over at him, "I appreciate it."