Timmy had been sitting in the regular booth at the diner since the end of his shift. He'd been there for the better part of an hour, slowly stabbing at his food, thinking.

He was jolted by a voice.

"Hey, Timmy!"

Adam and Jennifer took the side across from him.

"So..." begged Adam with a sly smile.

Timmy blinked. "So...?"

"So how did it go last night?" Adam nodded and grinned as Jen rolled her eyes.

"Adam, be nice." She motioned to Timmy. "He has enough problems without you giving him crap."

Timmy stabbed at his plate some more. "Thank you, Jennifer." He made every effort to smile at the couple. "So, how does it feel being newlyweds?"

Jen shrugged. "A lot like yesterday...but I've gotta say, I'm glad we finally did it. We're thinking about having a ceremony for the family, you know, just a get together. We haven't really told our parents yet..."

"Yeah, well, my mom won't care," said Adam. "She likes you, Jen. She'll get a kick out of it."

Jen rolled her eyes. "Ugh, yes, your mom loves me. She loves everybody. I've seen her naked, for god's sake."

"Speaking of seeing people naked," began Timmy, and his face went sour. "I have no idea where I was headed with that, sorry."

Jen studied Timmy for a moment before offering a caring voice. "Are you okay, Timmy? I mean, I know this whole thing with Russell is pretty crazy."

"Yes, well. I suppose having a tracking chip implanted in you by a mad man who then forgets to sign important documents ensuring your very livelihood could only end in marriage."

"Ha, yeah, the tracking chip...I should have seen that one coming," quipped Adam.

Timmy piqued. "What? Why?"

"Well, maybe a month and a half ago Russell came over asking me these weird questions about what defines a stalker and how if you really care about somebody they should want you to know their every move...he didn't say anything about a chip, I mean, he was just acting super weird."

"Ugh," Jen grimaced. "How can he even try and defend that, like Timmy's some kind of dog!"

Timmy shook his head. "Yes, it's deplorable, but..." He let out a deep breathe. "He's insecure. Incredibly so. I don't know what that has to do with me exactly, but in some sick, disgusting way I suppose it shows he cares. Or...or that he's a controlling, pompous, arrogant douchebag who thinks he can do whatever he wants to whomever he wants without any sort of consequence, I haven't really made up my mind on this."

Adam sniggered. "Timmy said douchebag." Jen elbowed him. "What! I'm sorry, it's funny how he says it..." He mimicked Timmy's accent, "'Douchebag.' Ha."

Jen interjected. "To be honest, you're the longest relationship Russell's ever had. I mean, it's not a romantic relationship, I don't think he can sustain one of those for longer than a few days, however long it takes for the woman to break out."

"Break out like, STDs?" asked Adam. "Or like break out of his apartment?"

"Both," replied Jen.

"He's known you two for considerably longer than he has me," said Timmy, steering the conversation back on track.

"Yeah, but it's different," said Jen. "And besides, he used to hang out over at our place all the time, he was annoying. These two idiots would stay up all night playing video games, and then Russell would try and play porn on our TV...anyway, after he hired you that all just kind of stopped."

"No hard feelings," said Adam with a smile.

"What?"

"For stealing my best friend. Jen's better to hang around with anyway, she does stuff Russell doesn't, if you catch my drift." Adam raised a sly brow.

Timmy sucked in his lips. "Uhm, okay."

"Oh, not that I...would want him to..."

"Adam," nudged Jen, "we're steering off course again."

"Oh yeah, well," Adam recounted, "I remember when he first hired you, that was weird...you caught the bagel."

"Yes, I did."

"And then man, he started taking you everywhere, I don't really get why you went along with that."

"I'm not really sure, either," sighed Timmy. "I think in the beginning I really did expect...well, I don't know what I expected. I was stupid. Regardless, we're here now and I have no idea what I'm doing. I guess I'm still being stupid."

"Well, just focus on the fact that you get to stay in the country," reassured Jen.

Timmy nodded, and looked down at his plate. He gave up on eating, shoving it to the side. "I'm supposed to be someplace tonight. I can't decide if I'm going or not." A thought. "Do you two have plans, perhaps we could go do something?"

"Oh, no can do, Tim." Adam wrapped an arm around Jen. "We're going out on the town, you know, we're kind of still in the honeymoon phase. No offense, but you'd cramp my style a little bit." Whispering: "I think I might get laid!"

Jen elbowed Adam again before the group turned their eyes towards a figure fast approaching them.

It was Russell. He slid in next to Timmy in his usual manner, all smiles, tapping the table with his fingers. A visual charade.

"Hey, if it isn't the couple who've decided to take a slow downward spiral into misery, how's it going so far, still drinking the Kool-Aid tonight?"

Timmy moved ever so slightly away from Russell, rolling his eyes upwards. "What are you doing here?"

Russell looked at Timmy and chuckled, "What do you mean, I always come here. What's with that attitude, huh?" To Adam and Jen: "Guess I have a little more training to do with this one."

"All right, really, can we not do this!"

All eyes were on Timmy. Adam and Jen slowly stood from the booth, Jen offering a soft, "See you guys later..."

Timmy waited for them to disappear out the door before standing and moving to the seat across from Russell. "Seriously, what are you doing here? I thought we said your apartment."

Russell had dropped the act and was very serious. "I didn't know you would be here. Honest, I swear, I didn't know...and anyway...I guess I didn't think you would show."

"Well, frankly, I wasn't sure I would, either."

Even with white noise from other patrons, the silence between them was deafening. Timmy folded his hands in front of him on the table and focused only on his fingers, trying not to muss his words. He was nervous. He'd been doing nothing but thinking about what to say since he'd left Russell's office hours earlier.

"How long?"

"How long what...?" Russell's eyes darted awkwardly. "The member? Tim, you've seen it, you know."

Timmy's face hit the table for a moment before regaining composure. "Yes, despite the fact that I've already seen you nude on more than one occasion...god...what I mean to say is, how long have you been...I don't know...having these thoughts?"

"I don't know."

"Please, I need clarity on this, you can't deny that I've earned it."

Russell raised his voice. "I don't know!" Then, steadying himself: "I don't know. How long have YOU been having them?"

"I've never had them!"

Russell whispered now, "You kissed me. Willingly. A dude doesn't just kiss another dude." Two women walked by a moment later and Russell nodded towards them with his usual swagger, "Ladies." His sights returned then to Timmy. He was trying to deflect. He could tell it wasn't working.

Still, Timmy had to concede to Russell's point. He had in fact kissed him. He wasn't sure why, but he had. And he wanted to do it again.

NO! What? No, he didn't. Shut up, you stupid, stupid brain!

Timmy went back to focusing intently on his fingers. "But surely you must have some notion of how any of this happened. Because I can't really pin it down. I know that one moment we hate each other and the next we're sort of friends, but I don't understand..."

"I told you already."

Timmy looked to Russell in frustration.

"Listen, when you told me you were quitting...maybe something kind of clicked. I was...I didn't have a good time with that."

"You didn't really leave me any options."

"Well you stayed through everything else, how was I supposed to know you'd leave this time?"

"You implanted a tracking device in me! You secretly overtook my personal autonomy. The reasons why are irrelevant, decent human beings don't do things like that!"

"Since when was I supposed to be a decent human being?! Geez, you have some really high expectations of me, stop expecting the impossible!" Russell's voice wavered. "Besides, can we...can we drop this already, I don't know how many times I can apologize. It was stupid, I get it." He looked to Timmy, who seemed to be waiting for him to speak again. "Okay, I...I've never gotten this close to somebody before. I've never shared so much with somebody. At first I was just doing it because I thought you were another disposable lackey-"

"I appreciate that."

"No problem. But you went along with just about everything I told you to do."

"You were paying me. Sort of. A little bit."

"You went out on double dates with me because I paid you? You went to games with me because I paid you? Vacations?"

"I accompanied you on one vacation, it was to Disneyland, and I spent the majority of the time carrying your souvenirs so you could ride the teacups." Timmy quickly added, "But yes, I see your point."

More silence. More studying of hands and tables and passers by and anything else of adequate divergence.

"Okay," Timmy offered finally. "I like you. You're messed up beyond all reason, and I unequivocally do not appreciate being, as you said, a lackey...but I genuinely enjoy your company when I'm being treated as a human being."

Russell smiled and his voice went light, innocent. "We've had some good times! Remember, you got that picture with Goofy!"

Timmy smiled at this with a slight laugh, "Yes, and you grabbed Cinderella's breasts."

"Good times, man." Now that the mood was lightened Russell took a chance. "So, are we...are we going back to my place, or...?"

Timmy had forgotten for a moment what the final line was this evening. He was feeling a little better, he was having a Russell-is-tolerable moment, but now they were back to the matter at hand and he was feeling queezy and confused again.

"Well..." Timmy was quiet for a long enough time that Russell grew worried. Then, finally: "Are you going to grab my breasts?"

For a moment they stared at one another with blank faces, until laughter overtook them both. Humor was a saving grace. And then, without another word, they both stood up and walked towards the exit.

Russell reached for Timmy's hand, which Timmy fought with a shake of his head. Russell's hands went into his pockets as they hit the outside air.

"Before I change my mind," said Timmy softly, and not another word was spoken between them.

Russell entered the apartment first. He flipped on a light and turned his head to ensure Timmy was still with him. There he was, entering the threshold of the apartment without a word. That was Russell's first big sigh of relief. He wasn't sure what might happen, maybe Timmy would suddenly realize what a mistake this was and run screaming from the building. But no, there he was, casually following Russell inside.

"It's unusually cold tonight." Timmy was trying to keep himself calm with small talk.

"Well, my apartment is pretty warm. Soooo...there's that."

"Yes, indeed. Still, one never knows when one might need a sweater. Oh-did you ever find the sweater I left at the office...?"

"Sweater? What sweater?" Yes. It was behind his desk. He had been petting it everyday at work. And smelling it. It smelled like Timmy. Russell was not, he assured himself regularly, a psycho.

"No matter," said Timmy.

Russell eyed his apartment for anything out of place; anything embarrassing. He walked deftly over to the coffee table and slammed closed his laptop, then shoved it under the table.

Timmy tilted his head. "Incriminating evidence?"

"The usual."

"A potpourri of pornography?"

"Yeah," chuckled Russell.

He'd spent the last few hours watching porn, and his search terms had somehow transitioned from 'teenage gangbang' to 'young gay Indian'. After each new video he'd laugh and ensure himself that hell, this wasn't doing anything for him, he definitely wasn't into guys, that was totally gross! And then to test his theory he'd watch one more. Then another. He may or may not have masturbated...while waiting for Timmy to come over...for sex. Ha, he totally wasn't into guys, though.

"So..." Timmy offered finally, "I did a lot of thinking today."

Russell was sure Timmy was changing his mind and his head raced with solutions to remedy this.

"And sir...Russell...I almost didn't come."

"I knew it." Russell's brain told his mouth to start spitting out word soup. "Listen, we can work this out, I know I pushed too hard, I'll back off, just please don't leave again, please stay, I need you to stay, you don't have to touch me or look at me or even give a shit about me but if you leave I swear I'll lose the little bit of sanity I have left..." Timmy was staring intently now, stunned by the flow of desperation escaping Russell's mouth. "I'm sorry, I-I'll shut up, just please don't leave."

"No, no, no, calm down." Timmy shook his head, gathering his thoughts. "No, I'll...I'll not be leaving, I promise you that much. But, sir- I am sorry, Russell, I'm not accustomed to addressing you as friend rather than employer, I'll get the hang of it."

"It's okay," managed Russell.

"At any rate, I'd been thinking, and I wondered if perhaps what happened back at the office was insane...if I shouldn't have behaved the way I did, if I perhaps led you on..."

Russell couldn't control his mouth. "Led me on?! Dude, you kissed me! You told me you wanted it!"

"I wasn't thinking straight!"

"Well, that's undeniable, buddy, you were making out with a man!"

Timmy bit his lip and nodded in acceptance of this. "May I continue with my point?"

Russell looked like a child scorned. "...Yes."

"I came to a conclusion from all of this thinking I was doing. What happened wasn't entirely insane, I realize it's been building for quite some time. I just think that we should take this slow...I've never dealt with something like this before. I mean you, I've dealt with you for longer than I ever suspected I would, but you must admit that this turn in our relationship all feels more than a little bizarre."

Russell carefully tread his next words. "All I know is that last week I was having sex with one of the hottest women I'd ever met, and now all I can think about is this. You. I dunno dude, I think I'm losing it and I don't know who to blame."

Timmy made his way to the sofa and sat down. He carefully patted the cushion to his right in invitation and Russell made his way over, relaxing as he sank down.

Timmy rubbed his own arms, unsure of what to do now. Should he be touching Russell in some way? What was just far enough without going over the edge again? He finally settled on placing a hand softly to Russell's leg. Russell's hand quickly, instinctively found Timmy's and their fingers gently intertwined.

Russell gave a half-smile. "Why doesn't this feel as weird as it should?"

Timmy returned a weak grin. "I remember not too long ago when holding hands was a fiasco for us."

"Hey, I thought you were a chick, and you didn't hold back much yourself, buddy."

"It's strange. The more I think back to some of those things, the more confused I get. And oh dear, the ribbing we got for that one, and now look at us."

Without really meaning to, Russell had taken to stroking a finger over Timmy's knuckles, their hands still locked. "You know how many people have thought we're gay for each other?"

Timmy's eyes narrowed. "Such as?"

"Well, I mean the gang always jokes."

"Oh well yes, of course."

"And then all the strangers in the street. Remember that guy who called us fags the one time? And that old broad who told us we should just kiss already?"

"Is it a vibe thing, have we given off a vibe?" questioned Timmy, sounding put off by the idea.

"I don't know man, but I've had girls in bars flat out reject me when I'm with you, you really screw up my game."

"Yes, I'm sure that's the reason, no chance they're merely responding to your stellar personality."

Russell mock laughed, picking up on Timmy's sarcasm for once. "Ha, ha, ha."

"Besides," Timmy said, "it seems I've become your game, now."

Russell squeezed Timmy's hand. "No, it's not a game with you. Well, I mean it is. But not like that."

"Then what's your game with me?"

"You know."

"No, I really don't."

Russell sighed out. "I push you around. Because, I don't know, maybe I just want to make sure you'll stick around."

"By trying to turn me off of any kind of relationship with you?"

Russell's voice grew louder. "I'm an idiot! We've established this!"

Timmy, not missing a beat, spoke flatly serious: "What's the next idiotic thing you intend to do with me?"

Russell raised an eyebrow, trying to determine if this was an invitation. Timmy's poker face wasn't helping, so he made an executive decision, learning in gently and placing his lips to Timmy's, his free hand to his cheek. Timmy was still reluctant but found himself kissing Russell back. They stayed like this for some time, not making the mistake of attacking one another again. They needed to move slowly or they would both panic.

Timmy finally put his hand to Russell's chest, and Russell allowed the kiss to break.

Russell rested his forehead against Timmy's. "Okay?"

"Yes," said Timmy. "I just need to think."

Russell pulled back to meet Timmy's eyes. "What is there to think about, Tim? I want this, you want this, we're golden."

"You know it's a lot more complicated than that."

"Yeah, in the long run, sure. But right now it's just us. I already told you, I won't tell anybody."

"And again, I trust you won't," answered Timmy. "I don't suspect you'd jump to admit to having sex with another man."

Russell's eyes were huge, now. "So...you want to? Sex? Have sex? I mean, I get that we're fooling around, but I thought that's all you wanted..." He laughed, almost relieved.

Timmy yelled out of frustration, "I don't know what I want!" He quickly turned his tone around when he saw how taken aback Russell was. "I mean, I...damn it, Russell, how can you be so blasé about this? I for one have never even had an inkling of being with another man, at least I don't think I have, I mean...certainly people experiment but for as long as I've ever known myself, up until now I've only ever been attracted to women."

"So you're attracted to me...?"

"Stop reading into everything I say!" A long pause between them allowed Timmy to calm back down. "I don't know. I've never really thought to myself, 'gee, Mr. Dunbar is certainly a sexy man,' my god. I suppose it's like...it's like this. You know when you meet somebody and you find them physically attractive, and then gradually you come to be attracted to them as a person? Their personality, who they are beyond the physical? I guess it's safe to say the opposite has happened here. I've very...very gradually become attracted to you as a person, thereby enabling me to become attracted to you physically. You see, it's a process of association."

Timmy could see the wheels turning in Russell's head. He tried to simplify. "Yes, I'm becoming attracted to you now because I like you as a person."

Russell smirked. "Y'know, that's the nicest thing anybody's ever said to me."

Timmy looked genuinely concerned by this. "You don't have the greatest people in your life."

"Yeah, I guess not." Russell looked down. "I guess...I don't really have anybody, actually."

Timmy squeezed Russell's hand this time, and their eyes met again.

"You have me."

Russell quickly pulled his hands free and wrapped his arms around Timmy, tight. "Please don't leave again. I can do better. Please."

Timmy returned Russell's embrace. "I promise, I won't go anywhere."

Pulling apart slowly, the two men looked to one another with sincerity. Standing from the sofa, Russell took Timmy's hand and they started their slow journey down the hall to the bedroom.