Phil rounded the corner on the way to the little convenience store a couple of streets away. It meant that he had to walk past Clint's shop and on the occasions he had done it before he would look in through the window and wave a hand if he caught of the man's eye. He would usually continue on, and if he had time on the way back he may even pop in. It didn't look as if he would need to do that today though because he could clearly see Clint standing outside his shop talking on his phone. Well talking didn't seem quite the word for it from the aggravated arm waving and even from this distance he didn't look happy. Phil quickened his pace and was drawing near when Clint pulled the phone away from his ear and muttered, "Fuck you too," and stuffed the phone back in jeans pocket.

"Clint?"

The man looked up startled, "Phil."

"You okay?"

"Sure, yeah, no."

Phil smiled at the answer and waited for an explanation.

"Just had my new landlord on the phone, bastard is putting up the rent, and there is fuck all I can apparently do about it."

"Shit, can you afford it?"

Clint looked up at him as if the news was only just sinking in, "I don't think I can, fuck what am I going to do, I've not been raking it in, but it's been enough, you know," he said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I love this place; I never worried about how much it was making, as long as it paid the bills."

"Is there anyone in the shop?" Phil asked.

Clint shook his head.

"Okay," Phil took hold of Clint's arm gently and steered him inside. He pulled a face at the machines, "Sorry I'd love to sit you down and make you a coffee, but this is like alchemy to me," he gave Clint his best hopeless male face and was please to get a laugh back.

"Come on then, it about time I taught you how to turn water into gold."

Phil looked doubtful and warned, "Are you sure, you know May serious considers getting me to fill in a health and safety form before letting me near a chopping board."

"Yeah, but I bet May leaves you unsupervised, I'm not gonna do that, I'm going to stand right behind you and talk you through it."

Phil wondered if it was possible for a middle aged man to go through the instant menopause cause he was pretty sure he was having a hot flash. He turned to face the daunting machines in case any of it blushed out of his face like a teenager.

"Right," Clint seemed to be keeping his promise as he came up behind him and reached over his shoulder to grab something off the shelf above the machine. Phil was too mesmerised by the strong forearm and the delicate fair hairs on it that lead to a strong well defined hand. He looked forward again! His conversation with Melinda seemed to have opened some floodgate in possibilities that he had denied before, it left him rather turned around and bewildered. Phil forced himself to focus on the words that tickled his ear from behind, "So the art of coffee is in the expresso base. All speciality coffees, your cappuccino, your latte, americano, etcetera, all start with the expresso."

"Hmm okay."

Clint guided Phil's hands over grinding the beans, "You need to control the fineness of the coffee, which makes a huge difference." He encouraged Phil to fill the handle with the powder, and covered his hand with his own, to tamp the grounds down. "You have to have just the correct amount of pressure to compress it to the right density," he murmured, Phil tried desperately not to moan as the hairs on the back of his neck stood. He wondered if Clint had any idea what he was doing to him or if he was just completely wrapped up in his art, because the way his hands move with such precision, skill and grace it was like a dance. And Phil was moving to his tune for sure.

Clint showed Phil how to put the handle in place and took it out so Phil could do it himself. "Now just put your cup under and turn the machine on," Clint instructed.

Phil couldn't help the grin that appeared on his face as the espresso started to pour, "Liquid gold," he laughed feeling ridiculously pleased with his efforts.

"Now you need to decide what you want to make that into."

"Oh no, that's up to my customer, what would you like, Sir?"

Clint ducked his head in acknowledgement, smiled shyly and said, "I think we should start you with a cappuccino; milk frothing is fun!"

"One Cappuccino coming right up then, Sir," he pulled a face, "as soon as Sir tells me how."

Clint guided him through using the steam arm, which was fun as Clint had said. Then Clint held the cup in one hand at an angle facing towards his body; he poured the frothed milk into the cup, bringing the cup up straight creating a central white circle of milk froth. As the cup was just about full, he moved the stream of frothed milk through the center of the circle. Phil watched with fascination as a perfect love heart became visible. He swallowed and looked up.

Clint was looking down at the cup his face unreadable.

Phil was forced to clear his voice before saying, "I made this for you," he turned the handle and pushed the cup towards the man beside him, his hand lingering on the handle. He looked down when he felt warm fingers covering his; he looked down at the tentative touch; he hesitated to say anything, as the fingers minutely stroked his thumb.

"I hope I haven't got this wrong, Phil?" He murmured under his breath just loud enough to be heard.

Phil opened his mouth to speak, but words deserted him and he shook his head instead. He needed to find the words though, to explain his feelings.

Why he couldn't do this.

"I... " he looked sadly at Clint, "I really want this Clint, but..."

"But?" Clint asked gently.

Phil looked down to his finger; it was odd; Nick wouldn't even consider the idea of wedding rings, so he had never worn one, but he had always felt oddly like there was still a band there.

"Nick..." He started.

Clint nodded and interrupted making it easier for Phil, "It's too soon?"

Phil looked up into understanding eyes; his watered not with memory but hope; he nodded.

"Is there... Do you think in time..." Clint's voice hesitantly tried.

Phil surged forward gently touching their lips together, his own pressing into the middle drip of Clint upturned ones, gently probing, feeling their way around the curves. He felt Clint's thumb kneading into the thick muscle at the back of his neck, the touch like electric shock waves pulsing up and down his body. He reluctantly pulled back his body and heart disappointed with his head.

"Oh god yes, yes definitely. Yes!"

Clint laughed and licked his lips making Phil groan.

"I'm going to make you a quick coffee now before I start to try and persuade you that you are ready."

Phil smiled gently and touched Clint's arm, "I don't think it would take much," he grinned briefly, "but..." He looked down at his feet, "Nick wasn't the easiest man to live with, he was forced out of the army and he, honestly I don't think he ever got over that, he was... angry, a lot of the time, I..."

"Phil?"

"I know my friends never understood our relationship, but I did love him, Clint, I did, but I'm not sure he was..." He paused trying to find the right words, "as invested in our marriage as I was."

Clint nodded sadly.

"I'm not making sense," he glanced up with an embarrassed smile, "I'm trying to say that, uh if you aren't..." He frowned, " if this is just a bit of fun," he looked rather alarmed, "shit, I don't mean to be so heavy, I know there are no guarantee, fuck I'm making a mess of this," Phil tried to turn away but Clint caught his shoulder.

"I'm not after a one night stand or a fuck buddy, like you say there are no guarantees, and frankly I don't know you that well, I'm kind of hoping you're not a mass murderer," he laughed, "but you know I'm not exactly perfect myself."

Phil took a long exaggerated look up Clint's body, "Looks pretty perfect to me," he joked with a quirk of his eyebrow, breaking the intensity of his conversation.

"Oh man, you are in for such disappointments then!" He joked back.

Phil looked abashed for a moment, "Sorry, I got a little ahead of myself back there. Just goes to prove I'm probably not in the right headspace for this right now."

Clint thankfully nodded, "You will be and I'll be waiting."

Phil reached out and squeezed his hand, "Thank you."

"No, thank you," Clint said and reached down to retrieve his coffee tilting the cup in thanks towards Phil before taking a sip. They moved apart and Phil felt as if a little bit of the heavy load had been taken off his shoulders, now he needed to think about helping Clint.

"Tell me about the tenants agreement that you have?"