Alan moved about the kitchen, preparing a meal for tomorrow's date. He had dinner with a woman from his old job as an urban planner. Her name was Jennifer, and they barely knew each other, despite working in the same building for years together. Alan checked the oven. The meal would be done soon. The door slammed as Charlie walked into the house. Alan called out, "And which one of my beloved sons has come home?"

"It's just me, Dad." Charlie yelled out.

"Come here, Charlie, and try some of this."

Charlie walked in, with a lightness to his step that Alan hadn't seen in a while. Alan paused looking at the goofy grin on Charlie's face. Alan smiled, "So who is the lucky lady?"

Charlie raised an eyebrow, "I'm sorry, what?"

"The new lady? You're walking like you've just fallen in love."

"Not love, Dad." Charlie said, grinning.

Charlie looked down at the foods Alan had out and dipped his fingers into the pasta dish. Alan smacked his hands, "Hey! That's for my lady."

Charlie furrowed his eyebrows, "Who is it this time? Besides, you said I could try some. It's good by the way."

Alan sighed, "Thank you. her name is Jennifer. Now tell me the name of your new girl. Is it Amita?"

"Nope. I'm sorry dad, I'm not in love. I'm just in a good mood." Charlie grinned.

Alan sighed, "I can tell when my own blood has fallen for someone. So it's not Amita. It's not another student, is it?"

Charlie shook his head, "No, Dad. I am not dating anyone. I had a math break through is all."

"You're a terrible liar, my son." Alan said.

At that moment, Don walked in. "Charlie?"

Charlie grinned, "sorry I can't continue this thrilling conversation, Dad. I'm in here, Don!"

Don walked in and smiled, "Hello my hooky playing younger brother."

"Do you have an older one?" Charlie quipped, laughing.

Don rolled his eyes, "So where were you today?"

"At class."

"No you weren't, now come on. Where were you?" Don said.

"Charlie, It's not like you to skip classes." Alan said.

Charlie shrugged and moved over to taste the fruit salad in front of him. "Dad, less melon in this. More strawberries and blueberries."

Don raised an eyebrow and smiled, "No really, where were you? I left work to meet with you, like we planned, and you weren't around. Your bike was there, which means someone picked you up or you walked to town."

Charlie blinked, "I'm sorry, Don. I completely forgot! Let's reschedule! I'm so sorry. I haven't been myself lately."

"I'll forgive you if you tell me where you were." Don said, crossing his arms.

"I think it's a lady friend." Alan said, "He won't tell me who."

"Dad, I said it was a physics breakthrough for... Larry. Yeah, Larry had a breakthrough and I helped him, and I feel good about it. I was working on it all day, Don, I'm sorry I missed you." Charlie smiled and stood up as if to leave.

Alan grabbed his arm, "You said it was a math breakthrough, not a physics break through for Larry. Also, you've never missed a single class. None of this is like you Charlie. You're lying and skipping work. You ditched Don. You've never ditched him a day in your life."

Charlie looked between his two family members, "Just forget it, dad. I can make my own decisions. Why are you two interogating me anyway?"

Before either of the older Eppes could respond, Charlie's cell rang. Charlie picked it up, seeing whose name was on the screen: Thomas. "Hello... yeah. My house. Sure. No, I'm just being interoggated by my father and brother. Yeah, I can meet you. Bye."

Charlie looked at Don and Alan. "I gotta go. You two are constantly bugging me to have my own life, and to look outside in the world. Well, Perhaps now would be a good time to let me."

Don raised an eyebrow, "Charlie, Are you in trouble?"

Charlie began to collect his things, placing them in a backpack, "No, Don."

"Are you doing things that would get you into trouble?"

"No, Don."

"Why can't you talk about it?"

Charlie sighed, knowing the response that would piss Don off the most, "It's top secret."

Much to Charlie's satisfaction, Don's lip curled. Charlie waved to the two, "goodbye. Dad, Jennifer will love what you've made for her."

With that, Charlie left, slamming the front door. Don walked to the front window and looked out. A car was parked, but it was dusk, and he couldn't get a good look at the driver. Charlie hopped into the driver's side and drove off. Don sighed and shook his head. "Was I ever this difficult?"

"Worse." alan said, "You didn't use to compliment me on my cooking when you stormed from the house like a hormone driven teenager."

Don sighed, "I thought we were good. I know I piss him off sometimes, but we've been... you know... making up for lost time."

"Give him time then, Don. Charlie is still adjusting to you being around more."

"Yeah, but he's hiding stuff now. I mean... he was all smiley, and then he got defensive. Also, who was that on the phone? Do you know? is he hanging out with new people?"

Alan raised his hands, "You know as much as I do! I thought it was a girl, but he kept insisting there wasn't a love interest involved."

Don sighed, "I should have them followed."

"Charlie would kill you."

"Charlie can't look at a gun without flinching. I doubt he'd be able to kill me. Perhaps if he read his math notes, i might die of boredom."

"Be nice." Alan said, laughter in his voice, "We'll just wait him out, as always."

Don shrugged, "I still want to know why the drastic behavior change."

"Don't we all." At that moment, the oven dinged, and Alan moved to continue cooking, while Don stole some pasta salad. Both men's minds were filled with unanswered questions.

Charlie looked out of the loft apartment. There were floor to ceiling windows, looking out at downtown LA. Charlie stood, staring at the angles. Thomas lived in a minimalist but well-off apartment. Everything seemed to be extraordinarily clean, and Charlie once again felt intimidated and out of place. He never thought of himself as dirty or messy until he was standing right there in the room. Thomas watched from the kitchen, pouring some wine. "Charlie, Tell me what's on your mind?"

Charlie looked back, eyes wide open, like the heart on his sleeve. "Just feeling... kinda lost all the way up here."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm used to the suburb and the school. This is an entirely new atmosphere." Charlie pointed out, "How can you afford this on a teacher's salary?"

"I'm a consultant sniper, one of the best in my field. They pay me more than adequately." Edgerton laughed.

He walked down to Charlie and looped an arm around Charlie's waist. Thomas pressed his body against Charlie's and kissed the younger Mathematician's neck. "Wine?"

Charlie leaned back and greatfully accepted the wine. He took a small sip. "I feel... like I'm doing something dangerous."

Thomas shrugged, "Why is that? Still hate me?"

Charlie rolled his eyes, "I never hated you. I just think you're pompous sometimes."

Thomas laughed, "Oh, and you've never displayed an enlarged ego ever in your life? I bet you're a sore loser."

Charlie shook his head, "Am not."

Thomas kept kissing Charlie's neck, "mmm... are to. I have you profiled, charlie. Remember the first time you saw me? You hated the fact that I called your... equation a guess."

"It wasn't a guess. it was math. You can't disagree with math. It's consistant. human opinion is not."

"You're proving my point." Edgerton said, "My point is, you don't necessarily trust me, or you're still trying to figure me out, and in that sense, i'm not a safe bet, I'm a gamble. So I am dangerous." Thomas paused, "I like that."

Charlie chuckled, "You would. and you're right, sortof. I am trying to figure you out."

Thomas turned Charlie around and kissed him deeply, tasting the wine in Charlie's mouth. "Let me help you figure it out, and if it's dangerous, who cares? You live once, Charlie, and I bet you haven't even started."

Charlie tried to argue, upset at how Edgerton knew his fears so well and used them against him. the words caught in Charlie's throat when Thomas' hands began to skim down his chest and stomach, to playing with the hem of his pants. Charlie's breathing began to go up and Thomas began to pull him towards the living room couch that viewed the city lights. Charlie followed numbly, feeling like a student all over again. He whispered out, "Teach me."

This halted Thomas slightly. Thomas slipped his hands, smooth and slightly cold Charlie noted, under Charlie's shirt, "what did you say?"

Charlie pulled Thomas to him and initiated more kisses, these ones faster and harder. "I said, Teach me. Everything. I'm yours. Willingly."

Thomas' eyes took on the predatorial glint. He was like a large panther, looking at his prey, and Charlie found that he liked it. He liked the feeling that Thomas wanted him. He wanted Thomas to mark him. Claim him. Charlie wanted to be dangerous, live on the edge. He didn't want to be the geek brother of Don the Great's. Thomas slid Charlie's shirt off of him and grabbed him around the waist, pushing him down on the couch. Thomas' leg pushed between Charlie's, causing the younger one to let out a small moan hidden in a gasp. Thomas sighed out, "That's it, Charlie. Trust me."

Charlie nodded and leaned back, allowing edgerton's eyes to fall over his chest. Edgerton placed a hand in the middle of Charlie's chest and he dragged his nails down, following the thin trail of hair to the waistline of Charlie's jeans. Edgerton unbuttoned them slowly, Charlie watching, frozen to the spot. Thomas moved his body over Charlie's, pushing his knee harder, causing Charlie to arch his back with a whimper. Thomas began to drag his teeth across Charlie's shoulder. He bit once, and Charlie yelled out, breathing heavily. Thomas leaned up and took one of Charlie's earlobes in his mouth. Charlie shut his eyes and let out a satisfied breath. Thomas whispered, his voice full of lust and need for Charlie, "Do you want this? Tell me what you want."

Charlie was about to answer when thomas' hand drifted down to his exposed belly, the agent's fingers dragging lightly across before dipping below his jeans. Charlie gasped and arched into thomas' hand, attempting to have more contact. "Yes... thomas, please. I want you to touch me."

Thomas grinned and laughed. He sat back on his haunches and looked at Charlie, squirming beneath him. The young man was panting, with a light sweat on his body. There was a bruise forming where he had bitten Charlie's shoulder. Thomas smiled and placed his hand directly in between Charlie's legs, applying pressure. Charlie rotated his hips, pressing himself harder against Edgerton. Thomas said, looking into Charlie's face, "I will. I want you, and I'm going to have you."

with that said, Thomas slipped down, zipping the pants all the way down and tugging them off. Impressed, Thomas placed his lips on one of charlie's thighs, darting his tongue out. Charlie brought a hand down, touching Thomas' hair, feeling how soft it was. Thomas gently began to lick his way up towards Charlie's hardened penis. He smiled and placed his lips on the tip, suckling it. Charlie had resorted to moaning, no longer able to coherently speak. There were a few jumbled encouraging words, but that seemed to be all the mathematician could get out. Thomas pushed Charlie's hips down and pushed his lips further down the shaft. He moved his head up and down, enjoying how easily undone Charlie was. thomas lifted his head, his fingers lazily playing with Charlie's balls. "You're mine, Charlie... I'm claiming you."

Thomas bit down on Charlie's thigh and felt the shaking of orgasm. Thomas grinned again and went back to work on Charlie's shaft, using charlie's body and moaning as signs of how close. In minutes, charlie arched his back, while thomas swallowed everything he had to offer. Charlie fell back, sweating, breathing heavily, eyes glazed in the post orgasm heaven that Thomas loved seeing. Thomas crawled up CHarlie's body again and laid his body on his. Thomas reached Charlie's arms up over his head and bent down close to his face. "You're mine."

Charlie nodded, still breathing heavily, "All. Yours."