A/N: Los Angeles this time, folks. Time for their second kiss. Please leave a review at the end!

Los Angeles, June 3rd, 1993

Drinks had not been a good idea.

They were in Los Angeles for a two-day conference. It was only a two-hour drive from San Diego—they could have gone home to their wives and children for the night and returned in the morning, but they'd booked a hotel instead, to 'save themselves the hassle of driving back and forth'.

They should not have saved themselves the hassle.

They hadn't been truly, properly alone with each other since that night. Since the elevator. They weren't alone now, either, sitting in the crowded hotel bar, drinking whiskey and chatting about the day they'd had. Being around people, it helped. Helped them ignore the silence hiding between every word, lingering in every pause, reminding them of the things they weren't talking about.

Drinks had been a bad idea.

They were on the third one now, and Robert was really starting to feel it. They hadn't been drunk together since that night, either, although Robert had been drunk alone often enough. Whose idea had this been, anyway? He tried to think back, to remember, but he couldn't. Had Sol been the one to suggest it? He hoped so. He hoped it had been Sol. But he probably wasn't that lucky.

'Sol,' he said, interrupting his partner mid-sentence. 'Sol, whose idea was this?'

'Whose idea was what?'

'Drinks.'

'Oh. Yours. I think.'

Fuck. Drinks had been a terrible idea, Robert.

'Maybe we should go back to our rooms.' Before they got too drunk. 'Long day tomorrow.'

Sol sighed, looking down and nodding. 'You're right.'

As they got up, paid for their drinks and began to walk towards the elevators, Robert was overcome with a horrible sense of déjà vu. He looked out for a flight of steps, but there wasn't one; no stumbling tonight. No sparks. No … anything.

They got into the elevator, Sol pushing the button for the 23rd floor. Just as the doors were closing, someone shouted, 'Hold the elevator!'

Both Robert's and Sol's hands shot forward, but they were too late. The doors had closed and now their hands were touching, and there it was again, that spark. Robert should withdraw his hand, should turn away, should pretend like nothing had happened, but the spark was growing into that irresistible pull again and somehow it seemed even more intense than last time, all focussed on Sol, and Robert knew what he was supposed to do, and he knew what he wasn't supposed to do, but how could he help himself?

This kiss was different this than the last, slower, not as desperate. If that one had been like the first drop of water after an eternity spent in the desert, this one was like a glass of well-aged Cabernet Sauvignon after a lifetime of drinking cheap box wine. It was deep and rich, a slow exploration, hands sliding over backs and grasping at shoulders, noses fitting next to each other just so.

The ding of the elevator was once again what broke them apart, but Robert knew that this time they couldn't just ignore what had happened. He couldn't go on like this. And judging by the look on Sol's face, neither could he.

'We should talk,' Robert said.

'You're probably right.' Sol looked down, lips wobbling and throat bobbing. God, he looked miserable. Robert wanted nothing more than to reach out and kiss that pain away, but that was exactly the problem. He shouldn't want to do that.

'Let's go to my room.'

Sol nodded, and they trekked silently down the corridor, not touching and not looking at each other. Robert unlocked the door and they stepped inside. Sol flicked on the light, illuminating the stark white sheets of the queen-sized bed that dominated the space. God, Robert wished this conversation could take place somewhere else. Anywhere else. But it couldn't be helped. The only other option that would afford them the same privacy was Sol's room, and it wasn't like his bed would be any less conspicuous.

Robert sat down on the edge of the mattress, Sol sinking down next to him. They were silent for a while, still not looking at each other. Someone would have to talk. Usually that someone was Sol, but he was so quiet, far too quiet, and Robert didn't know how to deal with that.

'Well,' he said, just to say something. 'Well, we've kissed twice.'

'Yes, we have.'

'I … well, I don't know about you, but Grace and I have never kissed like that. But we don't love each other, and I know that you and Frankie do, so—'

'I've never kissed Frankie like that, either,' Sol interrupted, sounding like he was about to start crying. Robert threw him a glance—yes, he looked like it too. 'I love her, but it's never been like—like—like that.'

'Right.' Why in the world did that make him feel happy? What was wrong with him? 'Have you … have you told her about the last kiss?'

'Of course not,' said Sol with a huff. 'What was I supposed to say? "Frankie, I kissed Robert at the conference in New York and it made me feel more alive than your kisses ever have." I couldn't tell her that, it would break her heart!' He paused, clearing his throat. 'Have you told Grace?'

Robert snorted and shook his head. 'No, I haven't. Either she'd never speak to me again or I'd never hear the end of it. I don't know which would be worse.'

They were silent for half a moment, before they both said, in unison, 'Never hear the end of it.' They shared a quick grin before looking away again.

'So,' Sol said, 'what do we do?'

'I don't know. But we can't go on pretending like it's nothing. If it happens every time we're alone, it's obviously something.'

'Then maybe we should—stop pretending?' He paused. 'Explore it and see what happens. Maybe we'll get it out of our systems.'

'Maybe,' Robert agreed, although he sounded unconvinced even to his own ears. Whatever this was, he doubted he'd get it out of his system anytime soon.

'Then let's … explore.'

Robert looked up at Sol's change of tone. His eyes, usually so happy and bright, had turned darker, more intense, and Robert's breath hitched.

'Okay,' he heard himself saying. 'Let's explore.'

And as Sol leaned in to kiss him again, he thought that perhaps drinks hadn't been such a terrible idea after all.

*shakes head* My dumb, soft boys. They'll figure it out eventually.

Third chapter will be up soon! (Definitely sooner than 17 days from now, sorry about making you wait.) Please leave a review!

Hannoie