UNBREAKABLE BOND [Man x Man]

Chapter 06: There's no love like the first..uncontrollable lust!

"That was some good food." Chris chuckled as they sat in the den after lunch. "Your cook is great, man. I just might poach her."

"Don't you even dare try, dude." Shane laughed, taking a sip of his pineapple juice. "She came highly recommended. And she never disappoints."

"Don't say I didn't warn you." Chris muttered, earning a growl from Shane.

"I WILL shoot you if you do that." Shane placed emphasis on the word 'will' making Chris burst into laughter. "Let's see whether there's anything interesting on TV." Shane muttered, reaching for the remote control. He kept flipping through the channels till he got to a channel where about five teenaged boys sat looking at two other boys playing a game of dominos.

Both Shane and Chris froze. Shane sat with the remote in his hand and his eyes stuck on the scene on the screen. Chris swallowed hard and turned to watch Shane.

"Still play?" Shane's voice was barely above a whisper. His eyes remained on the screen.

Chris saw how tense Shane was and wished for the millionth time that he could erase the past. "No." He answered in a voice he could hardly tell was his own. Chris cleared his throat. "I haven't played in...a while." He finished quietly.

Shane nodded and finally turned to look at Chris who was as white as a sheet. "You okay?" Shane asked gruffly.

Chris swallowed thickly and nodded. "I'm fine." He whispered.

But Chris wasn't fine. Dominos? That had been their thing. Anytime he heard that word, saw that game or anything that looked like dominos, Chris thought of one person...Nick! He still had the box of dominos Shane had left at his door the night he'd disappeared with his mother. Chris couldn't bring himself to get rid of the game though on different occasions he'd resolved to do just that. For about two straight years after the incident, Chris had held that box and cried himself to sleep every night. That was reason enough for anyone to want to get rid of something...right? But he hadn't been able to do it. Even as an adult, he always mourned as though someone was dead, whenever he saw that box. But still, Chris couldn't bring himself to part with that box. He'd gone as far as building a safe in his home just for that box of dominos. It was his only link with Nick Lewis.

So being reminded of that game and what they had shared, in the presence of none other than Shane himself, was not easy for Chris. He wanted to tell Shane to change the channel but didn't. After all, it was Shane's home and Shane's projector, right? He could watch whatever he felt like watching. Besides, asking Shane to change the channel wouldn't be too wise as the other man might think he was deliberately trying to cover up his guilt. Chris therefore kept his eyes on the boys on the screen, congratulating himself on his outward calm because inside, he was a quivering mess.

Shane wasn't fooled for a second. Flipping onto that channel hadn't been deliberate but he did watch that competition often. He never played but never passed on an opportunity to watch a good game of dominos. After all, it had been the very first classy game he'd learnt...and owned, even if it had been for a short while. Shane stood up and went to the bar to pour a stiff drink, which he gave to Chris. Chris murmured his thanks and took a sip, willing his shaking hands to stop shaking. Shane took his seat and turned back to the screen where another set of players where taking their turn. For the next three hours, Shane and Chris watched the boys play. And as they watched, the years slipped away as both men got engrossed in the game. At a point, Shane went for a bottle of Scotch, which was almost finished by the time the game ended. It had almost felt like when they were kids again. The only difference being the alcohol that was being consumed and the fact that they were watching and not playing themselves.

"Have you been playing?" Chris asked as he stood up to stretch at the end of the game.

"No." Shane said quietly, draining his glass. "I've never played since..." He trailed off.