Only a short little chapter, I've got the next 3 written out and they're much longer, so no worries my dearies, I won't keep you waiting for very long!

Thank you for all the reviews, they're most appreciated.

A couple of months passed. They saw each other frequently in that time, though that was obviously not a challenge in a space as small as Syed's.

Christian found the way he thought about Syed had changed, almost too quickly for him to notice. Whenever he thought of Syed, he felt a fond, soft, vulnerable feeling nest itself in his veins and to his horror, an equally fond soft smile grow on his face. He no longer thought of Syed as through those generic terms: rich, good looking and the like. He wished he still could, it would have made it easier to do what he had so wanted to upon meeting him but he couldn't. Not now. Not when he knew that underneath his fulfilled exterior lay a vulnerable, sweet, kind, good person with a soul just as beautiful as his outer appearance. God, he sounded so sentimental it made him feel slightly ill.

He was starting to consider the wisdom of what he'd so wanted to do. Forget him, what would he do to Syed if he fleeced him? He hadn't spoken to Syed about it, but he sensed that letting Christian stay in his home, was the first move he had made in years towards opening himself up to anyone. He couldn't undo that. Syed would never be the same again and neither, he suspected, would he.

Syed had seen something in him- something Christian couldn't see in himself- for all his bravado, he did not think he had anything particularly special that separated him from the billions of people in the world- but Syed did. He could tell by the way Syed listened to him when he spoke, really listened, his whole body shifted and he moved closer as if every word coming out of his mouth was precious.

And perhaps most importantly, he could tell by the way Syed had changed towards him, had almost imperceptibly moved the barriers between them from two people who shared a house to friends and now, to a place Christian had never really been before. A no man's land in between friendship and something more intimate. Christian did not know if Syed felt those boundaries moving himself, but he certainly had. He felt an urge grow within himself that no longer wanted solely to sleep with Syed. Yes, he still found him attractive but now he wanted to hold rather than caress him, kiss tenderly rather than passionately. He wanted to... oh God, in that moment Christian knew he'd fallen, hard... he wanted to tell him in whispered sighs, how beautiful he was, adore him, adore his body. He was one of the most amazing people Christian had ever met. How many people would offer someone they hadn't seen in years a place to stay without even asking for rent, for goodness sake?

Christian wasn't, despite the way he tried to make himself appear so, a cruel or ruthless person. Yes, he had to admit he was a bit... ok a lot of a user, but he didn't use people who didn't deserve to be used. Syed should have been perfect for Christian's purposes. Only, for some reason, this time there was something holding him back. He wanted to curse himself for his weakness, worm his way into Syed's heart and his chequebook and leave a good few tens of thousands richer. But... he just couldn't do it. There was something special about Syed. Something different. Christian hated himself for compromising who he was but maybe... maybe he could try to be someone better. The problem was, he didn't know how Syed felt about him. For some reason, Syed's opinion was actually important to him now. That did it. He had to stay away from Syed. He was making him crazy.

While Christian was thinking, he decided he needed a shower to clear his head. Preferably a cold one. He pulled his t-shirt over his head, folding it on the bed neatly, and stepped out of his jeans. Towel slung over his shoulder, he walked to the bathroom. Syed had told him to make himself at home.

He opened the bathroom door, whistling softly to himself. His eyes widened.

'Syed... I thought you were at work.' Christian was not easily embarrassed, but for some reason Syed made him flustered. Especially in the state of undress they were both in. Syed had clearly had the same thought about the shower and to their mutual embarrassment, all of Syed's clothes including his boxers were draped across the floor. Syed, upon hearing Christian enter had hurriedly grabbed a towel to cover himself but that hadn't stopped Christian from getting a considerably good view of Syed's...wares. With great effort, he placed a smirk on his face. Better, he supposed, for his feelings to be seen as purely sexual.

'Sorry... but now that I'm here, anything I can do for you?' Christian said nonchalantly, he couldn't help noticing his words held a hollowness that rang untrue, though his smirk was still in place. Watching Syed's eyes narrow informed Christian he wasn't believing the act anymore than he was. Damn that man!

'Can you please go?' Christian sensed Syed would have put his hands on his hips in annoyance if he hadn't been clutching the towel to himself.

'Sorry... I really did think you were out.' He said, sincerely.

Syed's expression softened somewhat as he regarded Christian. 'Fine. But...' He gestured to himself. Christian couldn't help looking him up and down, though it was more so he could be pathetically poetic about his perfection than pure lust. 'I need a shower.' Syed sighed.

Biting back the things he really wanted to say, sensing they weren't appropriate for a conversation while they were both pretty close to nakedness, Christian left without another word.