Mac softly stirred, waking on his back as he felt a steady but gentle weight on his chest. He opened his eyes to find Dennis lying beside him, his hand draped on him.
The entire night came rushing back and Mac watched Dennis' serene expression, wondering how much of their night would remain intact once he awoke.
Dennis shifted slightly, uttering a moaned sigh that completely caught Mac off guard. He watched his face for any movement, but soon found himself distracted, his eyes tracing over the familiar contours of Dennis' face, recognizing the inevitable, though fine age lines that Mac, no doubt shared some responsibility in creating over the years. He smirked to himself, realizing that he loved every single wrinkle.
His feeling of pure affection evolved as his gaze finally raked over Dennis' soft and inviting lips. Mac's stomach twisted up and his heart pounded in his chest as he remembered how they had felt against his own; it was impossible, he immediately understood, to sum up the love he had for the man beside him, even if he was not yet ready to say it aloud.
Suddenly, Dennis' hand clenched his shirt and Mac instinctively shut his eyes, pretending to sleep. He didn't have to wait in the silence for very long before Dennis shattered his fears. "We spent way too much time only talking last night."
Mac smirked and opened his eyes again, turning on his side to face Dennis. "My God, man, have you always been so thirsty?"
Dennis looked down at his hand, still gripping Mac's chest, comforted by the feeling of the thrumming heartbeat; the excited tempo having served as his own natural alarm clock. "It's not just that." He smirked, closing his eyes to ease his honesty. "I'm feeling things." He sighed. "Something happened last night, and I just wanted to follow a feeling before I could become afraid of it." Dennis felt Mac place his hand on his chest, mirroring his posture and he opened his eyes to be cloaked in the warmth of his gaze. "Now I don't think I could live without it."
"You don't know that." Mac warned against such romanticism, far too afraid to fall even further. He desperately wanted this to be real but couldn't deny the risk.
"That's my point." Dennis smirked. "I couldn't possibly know that, but I feel it. You just feel right to me, like home." He pushed his head into the pillow and groaned, despising the sappiness of his words, yet elated to find they were the truth. That night before, he had promised to try and communicate with Mac openly, no manipulation or transference, just ugly honesty. "There used to be this hole in my chest. I don't feel it anymore." He sighed into the pillow once more before turning to Mac, his unwavering chocolate gaze still holding him adoringly, despite his obvious embarrassment. "Now, instead, there's this heavy weight, and it's like I've been grounded."
Mac's forehead wrinkled with displeased concern. "Am I a ball and chain?"
Dennis laughed until he recognized the offense in Mac's expression. "I mean it as a good thing." He sighed. "See? Feelings are not easy for me."
"So, try again."
Dennis glared at Mac before deeply inhaling. "It's like I've spent my whole life adrift, almost as if I was running from something."
Mac thought of his own inner storm and nodded him on.
"You're my anchor." He tried simply.
Mac smirked at him and shook his head. "So, I weigh you down?" He teased.
Dennis rolled his eyes. "What I'm saying is you make it all settle; you steady me. It's something I used to ignore and try to deny by compartmentalizing parts of myself." He looked directly into Mac's eyes. "I'm tired of running and I just want to stop…with you."
Mac moved his hand to Dennis' cheek. "If teenage Mac could see me right now, he'd be so jealous."
Dennis leaned into the touch. "I think teenage Dennis would be in shock."
"Life has a way of surprising you." Mac offered considerately.
"Good surprise." Dennis smirked.
Before Mac could concur, his alarm started to blare. They both grimaced and groaned as Mac quickly turned to shut it off.
"We can't go in today." Dennis asserted decisively.
Mac turned back around. "Why not?"
"Because it's no longer tonight and there was a second part to last night's compromise that we have yet to rectify."
Mac huffed a laugh. "Are you trying to play horny hooky?"
"Are you interested?" Dennis' incorruptible faith in Mac purged him off any concerns or worries. It was that easy to want him.
Mac bit his lip with a smirk before nodding. He looked at his phone and then back to Dennis. "Before we do, I think we should agree to keep us quiet for now."
"What do you mean?" Dennis asked steadily.
Mac sighed. "We don't even know what this is yet and I don't want the rest of the gang to get into our head about it and make us overthink it."
"Well, yeah, but I don't want this to be like you going back in the closet-"
"It's not." Mac shook his head. "I think the only way we actually stand a chance, is if we try to figure us out, without their intervention. So, we keep the PDA to a minimum." He shrugged. "It shouldn't be too hard."
"Besides, I think you're right. We could make good use of the additional time." Mac said bluntly, realizing his need to clarify as Dennis' brows lifted in challenge. He continued with a smirk. "That's not what I mean." He huffed in playful exasperation. "You should be a bit more serious. We're in a pretty tricky situation."
"How so?" Dennis scoffed. "We're two consenting adults, who have decided to keep our relationship secret from our friends. That's not such a big deal; besides, it's none of their business."
Mac bit his bottom lip to keep from smiling at Dennis' slip of the tongue. As a result, Dennis' eyes went to his lips and narrowed gently. "Stop doing that." There was a heated edge to his voice. Finally, he met Mac's eyes. "It's distracting."
Mac refused to hide his smirk this time around, though he averted his gaze, looking down. "I'm not just talking about the secrecy." He cleared his throat. "Our entire relationship is going to change." He took a breath. "Only if you're sure you really want to try?"
"I do." Dennis insisted without needing to contemplate the question. He thought for a second, before continuing softer. "Look, Mac it doesn't matter if things change; hell, the only guarantee we get in life is that change is inevitable. But I'm not worried about it if I've got you." That was all Dennis needed. "I mean, there's no rush to figure out the rest."
Mac gave him a wry grin, appreciating Dennis' unflappability. "You're right."
"Besides," Dennis shrugged playfully. "How much more could we rush?" He smirked. "This just began yesterday after more than 25 years of friendship, but we already live together."
"Oh my God!" Mac exclaimed, catching Dennis' attention. "Maybe I am a lesbian."
Dennis smirked, before shaking the comparison off. "What are we going to say to the gang, then?"
He briefly mulled it over. "We can say we're fighting."
"Ooh, like over the game last night. I could say I think you cheated, but I can't figure out how to prove it." Dennis shot out.
"You came up with that way too quickly." Mac insinuated, watching him closely. "You lost, Den. Just let it go. I even gave you your little guy back." He reminded. "Maybe I should take him back?"
"No!" Dennis sighed. "I know you won." He couldn't help but mumble. "You worm-sucking idiot."
"Oh, Dennis, you have no idea." He smirked. "Worm-sucking idiot, indeed." He winked, clicking his tongue, giving him a full onceover before immediately grabbing his phone to call the bar.
Dennis could feel that spike in his blood and wanted Mac to hurry off the phone before his pants tightened any more.
They put on a good dialogue for Charlie, Dee and Frank, bickering throughout Mac's explanation. Dennis nearly broke from listening to Mac. "Dennis just can't admit that I demolished his ass yesterday." He winked suggestively.
Dennis' balking retort was entirely genuine. "I would, if you did, but we both know that didn't happen."
Mac grinned as he lifted his brows, quietly holding the phone. It was Dee who replied. "Don't come to the bar if you guys are just going to be bitching the whole time."
"Yeah, it's bad for business." Charlie interjected.
"You know what's bad for business, Charlie?" Dennis whined theatrically. "Cheaters!"
"Oh my God, just hang up on them!" Frank demanded before a resonating click left Mac and Dennis sitting in a stark, yet still, soft silence.
"So," Dennis prompted. "Worm-sucking idiot, eh?" His brow lifted.
"Idiot!" Mac smirked before leaning in to kiss him.
/
"Wow," Dee looked at Charlie. "Crazy. I mean, they're banging, right?"
"Oh, yeah." Charlie agreed immediately.
"What?" Frank asked.
"Come on, man. Did you see them yesterday? It was something personal." Charlie pointed out.
"And they just about never took their eyes off each other." Dee added.
"I know." Charlie agreed. "It was so uncomfortable, you know. I just felt in the way."
"I thought they were fighting?" Frank asked.
"I'm sure that's how it started." Dee acknowledged. "But come on, I mean-"
"It's almost gayer if they are fighting." Charlie said clumsily. "No offense," He quickly blurted. "It's just like… it's Chardee Macdennis; war until somebody wins and then the game is over. It's not about feelings."
"Exactly!" Dee agreed. "I mean, I lost and I'm not bitching. If they actually did fight afterwards, it wasn't about the game; that's just an excuse. Besides, they were at each other's throats yesterday."
"Should we mess with them?" Frank offered, unsure of what lead to follow.
"No," Charlie began, thinking for a second. "Ugh, that's just what they would want."
"Charlie's right." Dee chimed in. "If we give them any attention, they'll be insufferable."
"They'll make it all about them." Charlie added.
"As if they don't already." Dee scoffed.
"Completely." Charlie looked back at Frank. "We just have to act like we don't see it, otherwise we'll be forced to hear about it too."
"Oh, God. I don't want that!"
"I know, Frank." Charlie agreed. "None of us do; so, no teasing."
"I mean, good for them. You know, finally." Dee began hesitantly. "But," She huffed a sigh. "I had to lose a game of Chardee Macdennis, my first loss; all so Dennis could finally accept his role as power bottom in his 'Dynamic Duo' domestic partnership. I feel cheated, you know?" She clenched her fist. "Damn, Dennis. He's the one who wanted to play, and I had to carry his ass all day." She exhaled. "Dennis has made me into Denim Chicken."
"Hey," Charlie whined. "We won, fair and square."
"Oh, please. Dennis was completely useless yesterday."
Charlie didn't need a full second to agree with her. "Yeah, he really was." He shook his head. "I didn't think he was capable of losing."
"Yeah, well, I didn't think he was capable of conceding." She sighed. "But he did." She narrowed her eyes. "Selfish bastard." She gulped from her beer. "Mac better burn that damn doll."
"That's right." Charlie nodded. "We need to get you guys new game pieces."
"Ooh, Charlie!" Dee's tone became jovial. "Let me pick out Dennis'."
Charlie shared a glance with Frank, before he shrugged. "Honestly, that seems fair considering how he played yesterday." Both men nodded. "Okay, pick them out, Dee."
Frank cleared his throat. "But you're paying with our own budget, Deandra."
"That works for me, Frank." She smiled sinisterly and both men stepped back.
Charlie lifted his beer in a toast as the two joined him. "Well, congrats for the Dynamic Duo. About time!"
