Sequel to "The Day You Walked Into My Life."

Never one to kick someone in need out onto the street, Fry had been allowed to stay in the motel for a couple of nights while he decided his plan of attack. And, when he decided to stay in the sleepy little desert town where the food was good and the people were welcoming, he ended up sleeping on Hamburg's couch.

Hamburg had insisted it was a matter of convenience. If Fry was going to be working in the kitchen with him they might as well stick together outside of work, too.

But, in all honesty, he just really wanted someone to share the desert sunrise with.

He didn't know how to communicate that sentiment to his new roommate. He had never been in love before, so he didn't know how to explain his feelings now that he had someone who made him feel things.

So he threw himself into their new routine, trying his hardest to not feel anything at all.

He was up early in the morning, brewing coffee quietly to let Fry sleep a little longer.

It didn't work.

Fry slipped into the kitchen, looking adorably sleepy. He looked more put together now that he'd had time to get back on his feet, his mustache and goatee were now carefully trimmed. Hamburg fell more and more in love with him every day they spent together.

"I'm making coffee," he said instead of confessing.

"I love you," Fry mumbled, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

Hamburg froze up.

"What?"

"I meant, I love when you make coffee," Fry said quickly, realizing his mistake.

"That's not what you said," Hamburg pointed out.

Now Fry looked mortified.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it-"

"You didn't?"

Hamburg's hands shook a little and he had to set down the coffee pot. He blinked back tears and, without saying anything else, headed outside to stare mournfully at the desert sunrise.

Hamburg kept swiping at his eyes, feeling so pathetic. He'd tried his hardest to repress his newfound feelings but the moment Fry had mentioned love, Hamburg had gotten his hopes up.

That was the one thing about never falling in love, he'd never ached like this before. He let out a sob, unable to calm down although he was desperately trying to.

The creaky screen door swung open and Fry stepped onto the porch, carrying two cups of coffee.

"You like cream and sugar, right?" Fry asked, offering Hamburg a mug.

"Yeah." Hamburg took it without looking at him. He felt like he should say thank you, but he also felt like that would make him cry even harder.

"Hamburg…" Fry said his name cautiously, afraid of the normally strong and stoic man in front of him crumbling if Fry said the wrong thing.

Hamburg wanted to put the whole thing behind them, wanted to insist that it didn't matter and that he was fine, but a sob came out instead when he opened his mouth to speak.

Fry flinched.

"Hamburg, I'm so sorry. You opened your home and your life to me and I went and hurt you. I didn't mean to be so careless."

"Did you mean it?" Hamburg asked when he found the words.

"That I love you? Yes. I meant it with my whole heart, but I didn't think that's what you wanted to hear, I mean… I didn't think you'd want me to love you."

"Why wouldn't I want that? You're wonderful."

Hamburg couldn't see it, because he was still staring at the sunrise, but Fry had begun to blush.

"No one's ever really thought of me as wonderful, before. And you're so talented and amazing and handsome and kind… I just didn't think that there could be anything between us, because of that."

"Then you're an idiot," Hamburg said, a little blunter than he'd meant to, "because I've been in love with you from the day we met. I didn't even know that men could be in love with men before I met you, and now, well, I have someone to share my mornings with. I think that's love."

Now it was Fry trying not to cry.

"Yeah, I think you're right."

They both stared down at their coffee, neither knowing what to say. Hamburg had completely stopped crying now, though.

Then suddenly they spoke at once, "I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?" Fry asked. "I'm the one who fumbled the confession."

Hamburg snorted.

"Yeah, and then I called you an idiot."

"In all fairness, I was being an idiot."

"Maybe we were both being idiots. If I hadn't waited so long to tell you I loved you, maybe you wouldn't have felt unlovable."

Fry reached out and took Hamburg's hand.

"You never made me feel unlovable, Hamburg. Living with you these past few days has been the happiest I've ever been."

Hamburg felt warm inside and couldn't look away from Fry. He wanted to lean in for a kiss but he didn't know how to do that and he had a feeling he should ask first.

"Does that make us partners?" He asked after a few moments of simply staring at Fry.

Fry broke out into a grin. "I guess it does!"

"Good. I really, really like having someone to share the sunrise with."

First kisses could wait, for now sharing this moment, with their coffee and the gentle glow of dawn, was enough.