Daryl
You're driving to the safe house to spend the night. Normally Glenn and Merle would have gone back to Atlanta right away but the SAC was traveling today so the debriefing is tomorrow. You're relieved that the bait op is over and Glenn has come to no more harm than being exposed to Merle for a week. Of course Merle has also been exposed to Glenn and because you would only trust his safety to your brother, Merle knew something was going on and he couldn't resist teasing both of you. Now that you have time to think about that phone call you wonder how Glenn took it. He didn't hear your part and surely he knows by now that's just the way Merle is.
You can't get Glenn out of your mind. It's more than just worry about the op. You're thinking things that have nothing to do with that and you keep going back and forth on whether you should pursue whatever the hell you're feeling.
Should you let it go? Maybe it's a momentary infatuation because of how you met and the fact that you haven't had sex for way too long. Solo doesn't really count. College kid like him is probably getting fucked six ways to Sunday by guys his own age. He's only six years younger but that can be a big gap between 23 and 29. It's the difference between life just starting and being settled in a job for years. If you force yourself to give this up, your job will keep you busy plus you have commitments outside of work. Time will pass and you'll get over it.
Or should you take a chance? You're almost 30 and don't want to end up with regrets to keep you company. You've never felt this off balance about someone before. You're pretty solitary a lot of the time, not lonely exactly, but it's like something is missing that could make a good life even better. Of course it's not up to just you anyway. Have to decide when you see Glenn, which will be in a few minutes.
Merle and Glenn have been eating in all week so you brought takeout for dinner. Merle meets you at the door and takes the food. Glenn hangs back until Merle goes to the kitchen. And right away you know this isn't going to end well.
Glenn greets you with a big smile, touches your arm and thanks you for setting up the safe house. You were afraid he might have been embarrassed by Merle's remarks but this is worse. You should have expected it. A young inexperienced kid thrust into a crazy situation and you were with him from the start. The dangerous part is over now but thanks to Merle he's aware that you're gay and interested. He's grateful to you and willing to pimp himself to prove it.
Glenn
Something is wrong and I don't know what or why it happened.
The clean-up team arrived to deal with the dead guy and his wounded partner. Merle and I gave statements but the main debrief will be tomorrow in Atlanta. Then Daryl arrived with dinner and I was so glad to see him that I went overboard on the welcome. Daryl withdrew immediately. He wasn't cold or unfriendly, just professional. That's probably where I went wrong. I embarrassed him and he's trying not to hurt my feelings.
Why did I assume that Merle was right about Daryl being interested in me? Just because we're both gay doesn't mean we should be a couple.
We discuss the events of the afternoon while we eat, filling Daryl in on the details and talking about the meeting tomorrow. It's like a business dinner.
We decide to turn in early since we're driving to Atlanta first thing in the morning. Things get much worse when I come out of the bathroom and overhear Daryl in Merle's room talking about sleeping arrangements.
"How about if I share with you?" Daryl asks.
"No," Merle replies.
"I'll sleep on the floor."
"No."
"C'mon, it's one night and there's no sofa and even if there was, the living room smells like somebody died there."
"Daryl, my basic math skills tell me there's three beds in this house and three people."
"But the other room has bunk beds."
"Make Glenn sleep up top."
"That's not the point."
"Thought you'd be glad to share a room."
"I don't think it's a good idea."
"Well, then make yourself comfortable in the recliner."
I tiptoe to what I've come to think of as my room. I can't believe I've gone from being hopeful to humiliated in a few hours. Daryl doesn't even want to sleep in separate beds in the same room with me. But surely he'll be sensible enough not to spend the night in the recliner so I make up both bunks and get into the top one. Maybe I'll be asleep when he comes in.
Daryl
You can tell by Glenn's slow even breaths that he's asleep but you can't drop off yet. He shifts above you and his forearm slips off the bunk and hangs down. Without thinking you reach up and run one finger along his palm and have to pull it away fast when his fingers curl up in reflex. You wait a few minutes and get up quietly. There's enough moonlight to see Glenn lying on his stomach with his head turned away. The sheet is down around his waist. You wish it was around his feet but at least you have a view of his back. The desire to nuzzle his neck is a physical ache.
You get back in bed and try to blank your mind. You must have slept because time passes without awareness but when you wake at first light you don't feel refreshed. The decision is made. You're going to let this go. But you want to see Glenn by morning light one time. You'll have a quick look as you leave the room then take the first shower and make breakfast. You get up carefully and turn back to the bed.