Cost

Alex stared at his phone. The screen displayed Bryce's contact information, along with a large 'call' button. It had been five minutes since he pulled it up. And yet, he sat there, playing the call out in his head over and over again. Different replies and reactions sailed through the river of his thoughts as he tried to figure out what to say. With all his thinking, he didn't even notice when Mongoose tapped him on the shoulder. Her question, whatever she asked came out as an incoherent mass of words.

"What was that?" He asked.

"I was asking if you were going to keep staring at your phone all day." She deadpanned.

"I'm not sure, Mongoose. This call… it's hard for some reason. I think it's just my nerves." Alex stared down at his phone again. Was he even going to do this?

"Well, if you won't." She snatched the device away with a huge protest from her ally. "I will." And with that, she hit 'call'. Alex tackled her in an effort to get it back. The phone rang five times before Bryce picked up.

"Hell-o? Alex, what is going on?!" Bryce was utterly baffled at the sounds coming from the other line. It sounded like Alex was fighting with someone. They sounded like Anna, but at the same time, something was off. Alex finally wrenched the phone out of Mongoose's grip, pinning her.

"Hey... Bryce. How's it... going?" Alex struggled against his friend as he answered.

"You uh... you okay there bud?" Bryce replied. Mongoose pried herself from the pin to Alex's chagrin and mouthed a smug 'good luck' before leaving again.

"Yeah. Just had to get my phone away from... Anna for a second." Alex grunted at his bedroom door. "Anyway. I was wondering if you'd like to meet somewhere tonight... if you're not too busy."

"Honestly, I might need that. I've been meaning to talk with you anyway. I'll see you at your place tonight, alright?" Bryce asked to a reaffirming 'yes' from Alex. "Good. Now, I've got to get back to work. See you when I'm off." And with that, he hung up. Alex stared at his phone for a moment before snapping his eyes to the bedroom. If he knew Mongoose, she was still in there.

How he wanted to ' talk' with her, but he still had a date to get ready for...

Come seven o'clock, Bryce knocked at the door. Alex had just got done putting things away in case he just felt like hanging around tonight. Padding up to the door, he straightened out his hair and pulled it open...

"Hey Bryce. Was work okay?" He greeted the large dragon as soon as they locked eyes.

"Not really..." Bryce trailed off with a cross look. Alex had a feeling he wouldn't be too happy with what happened. After all, a public figure died. Criminal or not, it still wasn't a happy time.

"Wanna come in and talk about it?" Alex stepped aside.

"Yeah. You have any beer or something?" Bryce set a paw inside, the cool air sending a shiver up his spine.

"Just 'or something'. Will wine do?"

"Perfectly fine by me."

"I'll go get it, then." Alex turned to the kitchen as the other made himself at home. Fetching the bottles and some glasses, he set both on the table. Bryce took one and immediately uncorked it. Alex expected him to suck on the bottle again, but no. He just opened wide and began pouring it directly into his mouth. He wiped it with a satisfied sigh after finishing half the damn thing.

"Just what I needed. Thanks Alex." He said to a stunned Alex. He expected to laugh again, not gawp in disbelief!

"Y- you're welcome..." Was all the poor thing could manage out. That whole display was meant to startle him, wasn't it?

"Hey, you okay?" Bryce asked.

"Yeah... You just got me bad. You feeling like talking now?" Alex pulled himself together, sitting opposite his dragon.

"I think so. Man, did I need that. Okay, so let's start with the beginning."

"Right. Don't hold back. Tell me everything that's been going on."

"Well..." Bryce began. "I suppose it started when you arrived. Reza went crazy the following night and shot Maverick. Putting one of my best officers, and friends, wasn't easy."

"I didn't expect it to be." Alex interjected.

"Never was. Anyway, then there have been all the investigations. The murders and the vigilante problem. People are starting to suspect you are them."

"If that's the case, why did we see Viper in your office with me?"

"I didn't say I believed it. I know what I saw. But outside of that, there's also Emera suddenly going crazy and attacking you. She was off-kilter for whatever reason, and she had some kind of a vendetta."

"Seems a good few people hate me that way. I don't even know what I did!"

"I have a theory, Alex. What if she noticed you were trying to pursue me? She already wanted me to herself, and she did go pretty wacko. That kind of thinking could have a lot of people paranoid they'd have something taken away."

"Maybe... But Bryce, I don't think either of us showed each other much affection in front of her. Unless you completely reamed her with the whole sex thing."

"Oh I did, alright."

"The hell did you say?"

"That you were the tightest hole I've ever delved into, and that I was staying with you."

"Oh my god! You can't be serious, Bryce!" Alex covered his face to hide the rapidly-forming blush. He was utterly stunned at the sentence that just came out of Bryce's handsome muzzle.

"Oh, it got worse than that. I made sure to fluster her until she couldn't take it anymore." Bryce said with a sultry wink. That gave Alex a nasty little idea. Oh, how he'd fight back...

"So what you're saying is, it's your fault she went completely bonkers." Alex teased.

"What? No, I said nothing like that!" Bryce instantly backpedaled upon realizing just what the hell he did.

"I mean, you did drive her mad with the sex talk. Her demeanor already didn't help."

"But I don't think that'd be a reason to try and kill you over!"

"She sadly treated it like one. But now she's in a better place."

"Alex..."

"I mean it, Bryce. She won't have any worries anymore. She confided in me once that she was worried about finding a partner." Alex stated, piquing Bryce's curiosity.

"When did she do that?" He asked, curious and a little bit suspicious.

"It was right after our third 'date'. I said I hopefully found love after five years, and that she didn't know the person who's already had someone taken away from him twice. She yelled back, and I quote, 'And you don't know the woman who never found it to begin with'." Alex explained, to which Bryce cocked a brow.

"And this was right after you confessed?"

" And after you suggested the whole 'fake boyfriends' thing."

"I'm guessing this was right before the attack."

"Yes." Alex groused. Bryce thought for a moment.

"What she said bothers me... but it still doesn't excuse her trying to kill you. But I guess that no longer matters." Bryce paused, letting his expression darken. "How many more people have to die before we end this? If anything, Reza being jumpier, and more dangerous with your vigilante around. You know how much depends on how this all turns out. Whatever happens Alex... I'm just glad to have known you. You remember the ship model you asked about? Never told anyone else about that. That just isn't something I can talk about with anyone back at the station, regardless of how much I like them. You saw us at the barbecue. I'd never live that down, Alex." Bryce spilled everything yet again. Alex wordlessly sat with him on the sofa, hovering his hand under the other's chin, as if asking permission to pet him. Bryce just let his head fall into the waiting palm.

Alex stroked up behind the horn on his chin, coiling his free arm around his head. He nestled his own between those two horns. It was comforting. After all the stress, this was all he wanted, all he needed. Bryce smiled softly into his lap. Either the alcohol was doing its job or he genuinely liked this.

"You know, you're convincing me more and more each day that you'd be a great boyfriend." He muttered.

"What's stopping you from trying?" Alex asked softly.

"I don't know. Maybe I'm just not ready for that, especially with a guy."

"You haven't had any trouble with this so far. Maybe you're more prepared than you think.

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because I've seen you; the real you. You're kind, Bryce, and funny, and-" Alex paused. "I see a lot of myself in you. You actively want and try to break bad habits. You aren't scared of conflict if need be, and you'll fight until your dying breath for the people you care about. I think if we were to be with one another, we'll only be able to grow. All I ask is that you give this a try." Alex lowered his hand from Bryce's jaw, holding it out. He looked to the small hand for several moments.

Was he ready? Like, truly ready? He already had a feeling he wouldn't be uncomfortable with Alex around. All the times he was around him spoke volumes of it. But... he hadn't been in a proper relationship in a while.

Bryce pushed the uncertainty aside, and lay his paw atop Alex's hand. They both shared a tender glance as the first fireworks shot off outside. Their muffled explosions began as Alex inched forward...

But the kiss never came. Instead, he felt Bryce's paw lift off his hand and rest itself on his shoulder. Opening his eyes, he came face to face with a saddened Bryce.

"Alex... I'm flattered you want to do this. Really, I am." He began.

"But?" Alex felt himself growing less hopeful by the millisecond.

"I'm not sure if I'm ready for a relationship right now. There's so much going on, and I don't want to strain anything."

"Oh... I see." Alex said, glancing down. "Bryce, could you let me be for the night? I... I need to process this." He muttered, already choking up. Bryce wordlessly got up and lumbered to the door. The last part of him Alex saw was his dejected face. But just before the door closed back, he had to say one thing.

"I'm sorry. Hopefully we can sort this out before you go..." Bryce trailed off, shutting the door behind him. Alex lay down, flipping over so that he faced the back of the sofa. Just before everything exploded, he buried his face into a pillow.

Alex cried long into the night. Several hours passed, with Mongoose checking in on him. He didn't care what she had to say. He just wanted to be left alone with his bitterness. He got his wish, and he fell asleep there, with his back turned to the world, broken-hearted...