They worked on into the late evening at either side of Iceburg's desk. Despite the occasional flits of butterflies that wavered deep in the pit of his stomach, Paulie was stunned at how the moments of affection slipped in as if they had always been part of their normal routine. He looked up from the specifications manual they were preparing for their Marine fleet order and reached his hand across the desk and ran it over Iceburg's. Iceburg glanced back up from his work and when they met eyes, Paulie was flooded with familiar feelings he now realised were rooted in more than just years of respect and admiration.

"Part of me doesn't really want us to hire you a new assistant," Paulie said, his fingers tracing lightly over the ridges of Iceburg's knuckles. "Won't be the same with someone else around all the time." He shrugged. "I know I can't do this secretary stuff for shit, but I'm starting to get used to being here helping you out all day. Maybe we'll just find you a new Vice President instead."

Iceburg laughed and took Paulie's hand in his. "I'll miss this too, but I did make you the Vice President for a reason. And despite what the press might want to say about us, it wasn't for this."

Their palms pressed together.

"It'll take some of the weight off both of us once we get the extra help. We do need it." Iceburg sighed. "My duties as the mayor have been lagging quite desperately. I suppose that's my fault for being a bit negligent lately."

Paulie watched his face fall. He squeezed Iceburg's hand. "You've had a lot on your plate, so don't beat yourself up about falling behind a bit," Paulie replied. "If anything, I'd say you've been working yourself too hard all things considered. You could use a little more time to let yourself just rest up a bit. I'm sure the council would get it."

"Well, maybe."

Paulie leaned in to give Iceburg a brief consoling kiss then they let each other go.

He flipped on to the next page and moved on.

"Since I got the other office, where is Sofia going to work?"

"Hmm, that's actually a good question." Iceburg scratched his head. "We'll probably have to convert another room into an office space."

"Or I could just give her mine and we could share this one?" Paulie suggested. He glanced around the spacious office. "There'd be plenty of room in here for a second desk and drafting table. I'm pretty sure you've been working harder with me here than you usually do."

"I must be trying to impress you." Iceburg coughed and looked down at his papers.

Paulie watched Iceburg fumble a little awkwardly with them with besotted amusement.

"We did just put all that work into getting that office ready for you though," Iceburg added.

"I am impressed," Paulie said. "Even if we're still a bit behind, we've been catching up pretty well even though it's just been the two of us and God knows I don't have a clue what I'm doing." He let out a quick nervous laugh. "Maybe workplace romance is actually good for business. Can't exactly tell the clients and investors something as inappropriate as that at this upcoming presentation."

"Well, definitely not." Iceburg laughed back. He glanced up briefly from writing. "Did you call your mother yet about the newspapers?"

"Yeah." Paulie shook his head.

"Is everything alright?"

"So far nothing's come of it. Nobody knows I'm her son, but it's only a matter of time before the press go snooping around the convent I imagine." Paulie ran his hand back through his hair. "And she said she needed to talk with me and to come see her soon. I guess this is probably about the rumours."

Iceburg set down his pen. "Would it be helpful if I came with you?"

"Give her a while," Paulie stated. He studied a knot in the wooden table as he spoke. "It's awkward to have to tell you like this, but she's not exactly been a fan of yours to begin with. I'm sure she's not taking this well."

He rubbed his temples.

"At least dad seems ok with it. He sort of pre-empted us even."

"Oh," Iceburg nodded. "That's what that was."

Paulie groaned. "I'm going to get roped into fixing up his ship for him."

"I thought you were missing the chance to get out and work on a ship?"

"Sure. But it's not that that pisses me off. It's that he expects me to do it. And for free. As if we didn't have more important things to do." Paulie sighed. "Bastard never thinks of anyone but himself."

"Well, if it bothers you, you could preface it by saying you'll do it for a favour in return?"

Paulie stopped writing. Iceburg had a good point, and not just as general advice. Maybe there was something a group of pirates could do to help out with his blackmail situation that a bunch of normal citizens more bound to the law couldn't. He didn't know what yet, but his dad might actually prove to be a useful ally.

"Yeah um maybe," Paulie trailed off in thought.

Iceburg reached out to him and placed his hand on Paulie's arm. "Feel free to take tomorrow off to go see him. You've been putting a lot of extra hours around here lately," he said. "Sofia's going to come and see the headquarters tomorrow, so we'd just end up spending most of the day on a tour around the building and the docks anyway. You won't be missing anything."

"I have been getting to spend the time with you though, so that's been a plus." Paulie shrugged back.

"That's very sweet." Iceburg stroked along Paulie's arm. "I don't know how I'd have managed lately without your help."

He blushed. "I'm just glad it's made a bit of a difference."

"It's been nice having your company too." Iceburg paused. "I'm not sure how you're finding it, but it's felt a little difficult for me to adjust to getting back to business as usual."

Paulie's brow tensed. "I feel like you could do with a break from work too."

Ever since he'd woken from his coma, Iceburg hadn't stopped for anything. Paulie got it though. Keeping busy gave Paulie less time to think about everything too. At least they had started to talk together a bit more about everything that had happened. But Iceburg was still heading for burn-out if he wasn't careful.

"Hey, let's stop for tonight alright?" Paulie advised. He closed over the manual. "Get something to eat."

Iceburg smiled at him across the dining room table. "It would have been nice to go out to eat somewhere, but I suppose that wouldn't really be an option right now."

Paulie shook his head and took a forkful of his pasta. "The press would hound us."

"Sorry. We've been a bit trapped in at headquarters lately."

"At least in here we can get a bit of peace though."

Paulie swallowed his mouthful down with a gulp of water. He was a little light headed from the fancy wine and the dream-like feeling of sitting across the dim-lit table with Iceburg on the other side.

"This almost feels like a date." Iceburg laughed.

"Thank God it doesn't feel like any date I've ever been on," Paulie said. "I've never had a dinner date that hasn't been mortifying."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah, so it's strange. I feel really relaxed."

"Mm, yes, I get what you mean. It feels very comfortable."

"Anyway, I had this thought," Paulie said. "About how we need another office."

He picked up his wine glass and sipped at it. Any cheap bottle would have been just fine. Iceburg didn't have to pull out something special.

"What if we converted your bedroom into a new office? It'd make sense to have all the offices on the same floor and you can't sleep in there anyway with all the bad memories. You could move down to a room on the guestroom floor."

Iceburg ran his hand over his chin. "You know, that's a very sensible idea. Why didn't I think of that?"

"Probably the sleep deprivation."

Iceburg took a mouthful and chewed it over thoughtfully. "Hopefully it'll help us to move on from it all."

"I think so," Paulie agreed. He grabbed a piece of bread from a plate between them. "Why'd we even rebuild the headquarters the same in the first place?"

"Much quicker to work off the old blueprints rather than completely redesign the place," Iceburg said. "But in hindsight, it would have made it a lot less eerie in the new building."

"Yeah, sometimes even the hallway up there creeps me out enough never mind your office or your room."

Iceburg nodded. He took a quick drink then placed his glass back down. "Maybe we'll redecorate the whole floor while we're at it."

"Maybe when we don't have so much else to get on with."

"Well, we have all the time in the world now so there's no rush."

Iceburg reached to place his hand briefly on Paulie's knee, and Paulie smiled back nervously.

He shrugged. "Uh, yeah."

If he made it through the next couple of weeks, then sure they did. The image of Iceburg doing up the place on his own hit Paulie heavily in the chest. He tried his best to hide it as Iceburg gazed right into his eyes.

Paulie was lost in thought as the door opened. Iceburg shifted to one side to peer around him.

"You can come in," Iceburg called.

The door closed over again.

"Odd," Iceburg said. "There was definitely someone there."

It took Paulie a moment to return to his senses. He blinked. "What?"

"At the door. Someone opened it."

"Carol?" Paulie asked.

"She wouldn't have just left."

"Was it one of those weather scientist guys?" Paulie got up from his seat. "Are they're still staying at headquarters? Did you recognise them?"

"I didn't see anything but the door open and close," Iceburg replied nervously.

"A breeze just?"

"Not out in the corridor."

Paulie stuck out a hand. "Wait here. I'll go check this out."

He left the room and paced down the corridor, following the sound of footfall hurrying onwards. The steps picked up speed and he did too.

His fists clenched. "Hey, who are you?"

It echoed around the tall ceilings.

The figure came into sight as he turned the corner. No distinctive hat or robe, so it wasn't a Weatherian.

The dull thud of his own boots reverberated in the hall as he broke into a sprint. The intruder glanced back sharply at the sound. Paulie let out a breath he didn't realise he'd been holding in some small relief when he saw they weren't wearing a mask.

He closed the gap and dived for their legs. They fell heavily to the ground.

The intruder hid their face in their hands as Paulie flipped them over beneath him. He forced them roughly against the floorboards.

Paulie's heart thudded in his chest. He glared down at the man. Young face, with scared eyes that Paulie didn't want to feel sorry for. He was at fault here.

"Don't hurt me, alright?" He winced.

"Should have thought about that before you broke in. Now who are you?" Paulie leaned in close.

"I'm just a journalist."

"Bastard," he spat. "Trying to scare us? You know the criminals that tried to assassinate Iceburg broke into the building?" He clenched the man's shirt and pulled him towards him. He stared at the camera strapped around his neck. "Did you slip in with the interviewees earlier? Been in here all day snooping around? Do you have no shame at all?"

Paulie swung his head back behind him at the sound of more footsteps moving his way.

Iceburg approached cautiously. He held his flintlock in his hand. "Paulie, is everything alright? What's going on?"

Paulie eyed his gun. "He's just a damn journalist."

"Well, that's a relief. I guess." Iceburg sighed.

Paulie pushed him back against the floor. "You fucking scared us. Apologise."

"Sorry," he whimpered. "And sorry Mr Mayor."

"Hmm, if you're sorry then tell us," Iceburg said, moving closer. "Who sent you?"

Paulie began to search his pockets.

"No one sent me exactly."

Iceburg frowned. "Then what paper do you work for? Did they put you up to this?"

"Here," Paulie said. He passed a card over to Iceburg. "His ID."

"Hmm, Water Seven Times? What should we do with you? We could report you for this." Iceburg studied the card carefully. "Now, would it be better to report you to your paper, another paper, or will we go straight to the authorities?"

"Don't. You'll ruin our paper's reputation."

"Oh you're worried about that?" Paulie growled. "You're here to try to get photos of us, aren't you? Don't give a shit about our company's reputation, do you?"

"Ok, yes. That's what I'm here for."

He flinched as if expecting a punch. Paulie was tempted to give it to him. But knowing his luck, the guy would probably press him for a very public lawsuit and write the articles up himself. Paulie restrained himself with gritted teeth.

He snatched the camera from the journalist kid's neck and threw it across the corridor.

"There's rumours that you've moved in to live here Mr Paulie."

Paulie steadied his hand. "I'm just staying here a while, it doesn't mean anything. The other Dock One foremen are moving in to headquarters too."

"Oh, why is that?"

"For reasons like this. Shits like you breaking into the building." As he continued to search the guy, he wasn't gentle. He ripped a couple of caps of film from his pockets and threw them after his camera. "Anyway, why am I even talking to you, this is none of your business. Anything I say to you you're going to try to sell on as a story."

"Please, just let me go, alright?"

"Why should we?"

"I…I…" he broke off. "Can give you a chance to set the records straight."

Iceburg folded his arms. "Alright, we're listening."

"I'll set up an interview for you. Either of you can do it, both of you can do it, it doesn't matter. But if there's nothing going on, then you can clear the air." He looked straight up at Paulie. "Of course, you can feel free to use the chance to lie through your teeth too if you need to."

Paulie scowled down at him. As he got up and off him, he put two and two together. "Hey, you're that intern kid from the other day at the paper. When I gave that interview. That was you, right?"

From the floor, he nodded, avoiding Paulie's gaze.

Paulie scooped up the camera and the film rolls and clutched them possessively. "Did you think this'd get you your big break or something?"

"We're going to talk this over," Iceburg said calmly. "But one of us will come visit you at your offices tomorrow and we'll make arrangements."

"We're keeping your camera," Paulie said.

The journalist struggled to his feet. "That's theft."

Paulie scowled. "Yeah? And this was trespassing on personal property and invasion of privacy."

"You can keep my film, but give me back the camera, alright?"

"All of your film," Iceburg asserted.

The young man ran his hands through all his pockets and dropped another couple of rolls to the ground.

Iceburg and Paulie stood a while silently staring him down.

He pulled another from inside his shirt sleeve. "That's everything."

"Sure?" Paulie eyed him, still gripping his camera tensely.

"Honestly."

He held out his hands expectantly. Paulie was reluctant to hand it over.

"Hmm, you'll get it back when we come for the interview," Iceburg explained.

They sat back down to finish eating and the mood was much heavier.

"Carrying your gun around with you?" Paulie asked.

Iceburg moved his fork around his plate without eating anything. "You can't be too careful."

Paulie watched him with concern. "I'm here. And a couple of days and Tilestone will be back and Lulu will have moved in. We're not going to let anything happen to you again."

Iceburg continued to stare down at his plate. "Well, thank you. I do appreciate it," he said quietly. "But I really don't like feeling that I can't defend myself."

Paulie got back up from his seat and went to Iceburg, wrapping his arms around him. "Goddamn little journalist bastard," Paulie said, holding Iceburg tightly.

Iceburg's hands cupped his back.

"Would you like me to do this interview?" Iceburg asked. "I know you didn't exactly enjoy the last one."

Despite his attempt to sound calm, Paulie felt Iceburg's voice wavering.

Iceburg continued. "You said you were keen to clear things up with the press. So this is actually a good opportunity."

"Maybe I was naïve thinking we could actually keep this secret." Paulie pulled back and got up. "They're peddling us for entertainment right now and pretty fucking desperate for dirt."

He paced back to his seat and fell back into it.

"I can't believe they're even breaking into the building now," he said, shaking his head. "I should have waited until all the fuss went down before I started anything,"

"Well, everything with the press would be happening regardless," Iceburg replied.

"I suppose so." Paulie picked his fork up and drummed it against his plate."God, should we just tell the press?" he blurted out. "I've got no idea what the fallout would be, but if they get what they want, things might actually calm down."

"We don't need to decide anything right now. We have until the interview to think it all over." Iceburg leant across the table. "I'm relieved you were honest with me though. Dealing with the rumours would have been a lot more complicated if we kept avoiding talking about things between us."

Paulie glanced away.

"We could do without more to deal with right now," Iceburg added. "But at least we have each other for some support and comfort through all of this."

"I haven't been honest with you about everything," Paulie admitted. He looked quickly back over at Iceburg.

Iceburg's brow furrowed.

"I think you already get the gist there's more shit happening too. I think I owe you the truth." Paulie shrugged.

"There has been something else going on then?"

Paulie took a deep breath.

He explained everything about the blackmailing and how the looming panic had sparked him to confess for fear he'd never get another chance. Paulie spoke rapidly, studying the shifting expressions on Iceburg's face as he listened thoughtfully without passing comment.

"I didn't want to drag you into all this," Paulie said, his voice strained. "But now that you know we might only have a few more weeks together, does that change how you feel about us doing this?"

"We're going to find a way out of this." Iceburg reached into his pocket and pulled out a mini transponder snail. "We can call everyone for a meeting right now. It's not too late."

Paulie nodded. "Let's get it over with."

Iceburg held the transponder in wait. Paulie watched on nervously.

Iceburg placed a hand on Paulie's. "Thanks for telling me about this. It can't have been easy."

"Sorry about all this," Paulie said.

"It's not your fault," Iceburg shook his head. "And it's not like I didn't drag you into worse."

It took a while for Paulie to quiet everyone down in the crowded meeting room. They packed tightly round the long table on mismatched chairs borrowed from all around the headquarters. They'd underestimated just how many members of the former Franky Family there really were. Paulie was squeezed shoulder to shoulder to Iceburg on his left and Lulu on his right and as he looked around, everyone else in the circle looked equally robbed of personal space.

"Seems like a strange time of the day for a work meeting." Zambai scratched his head.

"Well, it's not really a work meeting," Iceburg answered.

"Is everyone that went along with the Rocket Man here?" Paulie called.

"Where's the noisy guy?" Zambai asked.

"He's away on a supply trip," Lulu explained.

Paulie looked around the table. They'd all switched their Ennies Lobby battered armour out for their new Galley-La gear. They'd fought together back then sure, but the shared logo on all their chests made them all really feel part of the same team now. Even Kiwi and Mozu had on the pink and yellow Galley-La shirts Paulie had dumped in a fluster at their bar front a few weeks back.

"Is everyone else here?" Paulie asked.

"Granny Kokoro and the little kid?" another of the group called out.

Paulie was tempted to get them all name tags. Apart from Zambai, who seemed to have taken over Franky's role as their new leader, he'd no idea who was who.

Iceburg waved the mouth piece of the transponder in front of him. "It would have taken her too long to make it over on the sea train, but we have her on call."

"Hi everyone!" the snail announced, mimicking Kokoro's wide grin.

"Hi Granny Kokoro," everyone chorused.

"Hey Paulie?" Mozu started, adjusting her yellow visor. "So this is about all that Ennies Lobby stuff right? We had some hook-nosed creep come into our bar today asking a lot of questions about all that."

"Hmm, he came to visit us too." Iceburg tapped the table. "Well, what was he asking you two?"

"It was shady as," she said.

"Totally," Kiwi agreed. "He talked all about this group that was," she air quoted, "supposedly killed at the scene. Someone's clearly on the hunt for all of us."

"Asked if they were Water Seven citizens, if we'd known them."

"Don't know whether they know we actually survived and were trying to trip us up. But we peddled him off with some crap tale about how we'd had a memorial service in the city for them and how sad it all was."

"Him and his two minions left pretty soon after."

Paulie began, "It might be easy enough for him to find out that never happened. And if that's the case, he'll know it was all a load of shit."

"Oh crap. Did we mess up?" Mozu worried.

"If you said nothing it probably wouldn't have been any less suspicious," Iceburg answered. "If he's going to spend time investigating into that you might have bought us a little time at least."

Kokoro voice croaked through the transponder. "More than likely the government's embarrassed about all this so they're probably keeping the investigation very hush-hush. I thought for sure when they sent their big Marine hero Garp over here they were going to make some big showy arrests. But they didn't even give the Straw Hats much fight in the end."

"So basically then this meeting's to say there's an investigation going on for all that?" Zambai put his head in his hands. "Aw man! We all thought we were in the clear when those wanted posters for just the Straw Hats were released."

"Hey," the guy to Zambai's left started. "Are we going to have to go on the run and leave the island after all?"

Zambai turned to him. "Suppose we could all form a pirate crew of our own."

The controlled meeting broke down into a flurry of questions.

"Everyone calm down a minute and listen," Paulie barked. "We've got another situation to complicate matters."

Paulie pulled out the photographs and dealt them out along the table.

"There's clear as day evidence we were there. We're going to have to make sure the government never sees it."

Zambai grabbed for one of the photos and tore it into pieces. "Then just destroy them."

Paulie sighed. "If only it was that easy."

He'd been over the story so many times now that he recalled it for everyone in the room in succinct summary and completely without emotional response.

"Now that everyone gets what the deal is, I need you all to help work out what we can do about it. We're in this together. So if anyone has any ideas just throw them out alright?"

Scratching his head, another asked, "So why can't Mr Iceburg pay it off again?"

Paulie groaned.

Lulu came to his aid. "He'd have to take money from the company accounts. The accountants would raise questions and there'd probably be a legal inquiry. Getting Galley-La's or our Mayor's name caught up in a blackmailing situation wouldn't be a good thing for any of us."

"I understand your concerns about using company funds on this," Iceburg said. "Of course I agree it's best if we can avoid that. But it would still be better for Galley-La, or for just me to take a hit than for you all to be implicated."

Paulie shook his head. "No. That's not an option."

The look he and Iceburg exchanged was a little tense.

"Listen to Paulie, Iceburg," Kokoro said through the transponder. "Sacrificing yourself would be the death of Water Seven."

Iceburg sighed. Paulie sensed he was holding his tongue.

"We all used to be bounty hunters," Zambai offered. "Say a big time pirate comes along. We could hand them in for cash to pay the guy off?"

"It'd rely on a big coincidence that one shows up, but it's a thought," Paulie said. "Any other ideas?"

Paulie pointed around the circle.

"We hit the yagara races or the casino?"

"We're all shit gamblers," he replied.

"Hey, you don't know that for a fact."

"I've seen you guys enough times at the track. I'm not the only one there in a rage, ripping up dud tickets into confetti."

Paulie looked around them again.

"What about a bank raid?"

"No. We don't need even more trouble with the law." Paulie shook his head.

"Train heist? Bet that thing attracts a lot of wealthy customers."

Paulie was really feeling the need for a smoke. "We're definitely not besmirching Tom's legacy. If there was a heist on the train, no one would ride it."

There was an ominous crackle through the transponder as Kokoro cleared her throat. "I know no one wants to be the one to say it. But, should worst come to worst and there's no other option left, there's no better way to silence someone than to kill them."

The room went silent and everyone glanced uncomfortably around the circle.

"Ok, so wait." Zambai broke the tension. "Am I the only one here who's thinking this? Don't get me wrong, I'm relieved they haven't. But why haven't they sold off the whole story already?"

He picked up one of the photos and took a good look at it.

"Why even come to you at all? You get me?"

"Hmm, I see what you mean." Iceburg rested his chin on his fist. "They're probably asking for a lot more money than they'd be able to sell the story for then."

"Most likely," Zambai shrugged.

"Glad you pointed that out." Paulie scowled. "Clearly he was trying to get that one past me."

"Doesn't that mean we're at an advantage then?" Lulu suggested. "They probably need you to get the amount they need, so they're going to want you to be able to deliver. Maybe you can negotiate with the guy."

He adjusted his hair.

"I know you said you don't trust that bookie not to stab us in the back Paulie, but you could tell him you won't deliver the goods unless you've got some sort of confirmation he won't. You could try to get him to agree to hand over all the photos they have along with the negatives or no deal."

Paulie shrugged. "They could still take us for a ride up until it comes time for the switch and not make good on the promise."

"Then what if we play them too?" Iceburg suggested.

"How?"

"It probably wouldn't be too much to set a condition that he lets you meet this journalist. Find out his name, where he works, well, the more information the better."

Kiwi nodded. "Oh and then we can search both the bookie's office and the journalist's office, find and steal all the evidence."

Mozu joined in. "If they have no photos, they don't have any proof of anything, right?"

"If that's where they're hiding them," Paulie said. "They might have some safe place somewhere else."

He looked around the table.

"There really is no one hundred percent guarantee on this option either. But it's a safer bet to focus on getting the photos than handing over a lot of money and getting played like idiots." Paulie folded his arms. "I'll go talk to him and try to meet this other guy and find out as much as I can about him."

"Do you need any backup?" Lulu asked. "Might help put the pressure on if you had someone there with you."

Paulie paused. "Let me think about that and get back to you."

He looked around the room. He scratched his head.

"Uh, thanks everyone for coming round tonight to talk about this. Might not be the last meeting we'll have to have, but at least we have some kind of idea where we're going with this for now."

He and Iceburg helped Lulu bring his bags up to the guest rooms.

"I was going to wait till tomorrow," Lulu started. "But thought I might as well cart everything round tonight if I was coming over for the meeting anyway."

"Well, thanks for coming," Iceburg said wearily.

Iceburg pushed open the door to Lulu's room and they left his stuff on the carpet.

Lulu stood upright and stretched. "Thanks for the help."

"You wouldn't mind helping us down with some things from upstairs?" Iceburg asked. "I'm going to move down to this floor too."

"Sure, yeah." Lulu nodded.

The silence as the three of them marched up the stairs seemed to hum with thought, unspoken conversations that no one quite knew if, and how, to bring up. Paulie considered explaining everything to Lulu, but Iceburg's decision to move out of his room was a sensitive subject and his personal business. If he wanted to talk about it himself, he would.

In the end Lulu didn't ask, so no one talked about it. Paulie didn't bring up the break in either, though it had crossed his mind a few times too. Perhaps he'd take him aside quietly in the next few days. It added an extra layer of complication to his decisions now that he was fixated on how Iceburg would feel about them.

They left Iceburg's things in another guest room.

"I'm going to turn in," Lulu said with a slightly forced looking yawn. "Goodnight"

He left the room and closed the door behind him.

"I think I'll go to bed too," Iceburg said. He coaxed Tyrannosaurus down from his shoulder and placed him away in his cage.

"Hopefully you'll get a better night's rest in here tonight," Paulie answered, looking around the room a little awkwardly as Iceburg pulled his shirt over his head and climbed into the bed, facing away.

There was a pause where Paulie wasn't quite sure whether to go over to kiss him goodnight or not. But it felt like Iceburg wasn't exactly inviting him over to do so.

"Goodnight Paulie," Iceburg said.

"Goodnight." Paulie turned out the light on his way out.

He lay awake in his bed for longer than he should have thinking it over.

Paulie woke to a knock on his door. He scrambled to reach for the shirt he'd flung off when he'd woke in a heavy sweat at some point in the unbearably hot night.

Shirt half over his head, there was another knock. He struggled it on and, a little flustered, he called, "Yeah, you can come in."

Iceburg entered a little tentatively, still dressed in pyjamas and Paulie was quite surprised to see him.

"Morning Paulie," he said, carrying a tray over to Paulie's bedside.

"What's this?" Paulie asked.

He watched as Iceburg sat on the end of his bed and handed him the tray.

"Breakfast," he said. "I feel like I owe you an apology."

Paulie took the tray, frowning. "For what?"

Iceburg set it down in his lap. Two plates, two mugs, two croissants and a pot of tea. "I hope I didn't offend you."

"What?"

"Last night," Iceburg said. He rubbed Paulie's hand. "Sorry. I was exhausted. I'm surprised at how shaken I was by the break in. I think I was a bit preoccupied trying to think about this situation of yours too... but I should have been a bit more present."

"Really it's fine," Paulie said. "But I was worried though maybe I'd offended you somehow. Or maybe you'd had second thoughts about this."

Iceburg pressed a quick kiss to Paulie's wrist. "No, no. Sorry."

Iceburg shook his head. He reached to kiss Paulie's head.

"I should have been thinking about how to comfort you rather than how to solve your problem."

Paulie reached over a croissant to Iceburg and offered him some tea. "Really it's fine. Did you sleep alright last night?"

"Somehow I actually don't think I've slept better in months," Iceburg replied. "I actually feel quite refreshed today. It was a good idea Paulie to leave that room."

"Well, that's good." Paulie face flushed. He looked down, focusing narrowly on Iceburg's mug as he poured. "You know, this was sweet of you though, bringing up breakfast."

"I thought it would be nice to eat together in peace," Iceburg said, a little red himself. "The Weatherians are all in the dining room at the minute. It's a bit crowded."

"They nearly finished their research?" Paulie placed the teapot back on the tray.

"Well yes. They said this would be their last day." Iceburg laughed a little. "They seem keen to make the most of their last meal here. I think most of them were onto their third course."

Paulie swiped across his forehead. "Maybe they can tell us why it's been so damn hot these past few days."

"Hmm, yes. I know it's soon July, but it still feels much warmer than it should."

Paulie nodded.

"Anyway, they're going to have a talk with me about what they've been studying this afternoon before they leave. They seem to be really quite fascinated by Water Seven." Iceburg bit into his croissant. "I'm not really looking forward to hearing what they might say about this year's Aqua Laguna though."

Paulie wanted to reach out for him, but he couldn't move much for fear of toppling the tray over. He tried to think of something encouraging to say instead, but when that failed, he picked the tray up and placed it down on the ground.

He leant across the bed and kissed Iceburg. "Do you want me to be there with you?" he asked, sitting back again.

Iceburg shook his head. "I'll be alright."

"I don't mind." Paulie shrugged.

"No," Iceburg smiled. "Go see your dad." Iceburg took another bite. "Though I imagine that will probably be awkward enough itself."

"Hmm, you're telling me," Paulie replied, swallowing down a mouthful of tea that was really too hot to drink comfortably.