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Sean’s head snapped up. “Jesus, Ricardo.”

“Well?”

Sean groaned. “Yes. Fine. Happy?”

Ricardo raised a brow. “I don’t know...are you?”

It was not the question he’d been expecting, and Sean could only mouth silently as he tried to find the answer. Had he been happy? No, definitely not. He didn’t know the last time he’d really been happy. His times with Aidan had been...what, relief? Catharsis? Was it fair to say that about Aidan, especially since neither knew what lay ahead?

“Things are...different now, I guess? It’s hard to see what happened as just like...screwing when now it’s like…” Sean began, unsure of how to continue.

“You saving his ass and then him saving yours?”

“You guys were there too,” Sean pointed out.

“And he was the one who kept us focused, kept us calm, and got us to where you were. You know that, and you know that makes all the difference.”

Sean nodded. “It does.”

“Question is, how does that change whatever you guys were doing behind the scenes?”

Sean closed his eyes, not sure how to answer. Yes, he was and obviously had always been drawn to Aidan. That was apparent from how easily if a little violently, they had clashed in that alleythe first time. But it had been so wrapped up in their intense dislike of one another that Sean wasn’t sure what was there, waiting for them, now they were learning to coexist side by side, and hell, not just exist, but enjoy it.

Ricardo settled back, smiling faintly. “I think you should start trying to figure it out, Sean. No matter what you two...work out. Just do it. This team needs you both.”

AIDAN

Standing outside Sean’s apartment door, Aidan raised his hand to knock, only to hesitate and draw it back for what felt like the twentieth time. The door to Sean’s apartment felt as though it were glaring down at him in judgment. He’d been standing there for a solid ten minutes, trying to decide if he should knock and disturb the man’s peace or walk away and let Sean come to him.

He might not have come over at all if it weren’t for the random text from Ricardo while he’d been staying in the barracks. Aidan had been debating back and forth with himself if he should be the one to contact Sean first or wait for his team leader to approach him. Before he’d come to any real conclusion, his phone had gone off with a message from Ricardo. There was an address, nothing else, and though Aidan had tried to prompt Ricardo to say more, the man had remained completely silent.

Aidan still wasn’t sure what to think about that. Ricardo had been pretty quiet, even for him, since they’d returned from the Canadian wilderness a few days earlier. Aidan might have thought something was wrong with himself, but when the team met for lunch the previous day, Sean even commented about how quiet Ricardo had been lately. Aidan could only assume itdidn’t have something to do with him specifically, considering the contents of the man’s message.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Aidan grunted, annoyed with his indecision.

The doorknob jiggled, and the door flew open. Sean glared at him for a moment before recognition softened his features.

“Aidan? The hell are you doing?” Sean asked, glancing around.

Aidan looked around, cringing inwardly. “Coming to see you?”

“Jesus. I heard someone talking out here, and I thought it was the idiots next door.”

Aidan looked to the next door. “Them?”

“They get confused every time they go out and get drunk. So they like to try to use their key in my door and argue like drunken morons every time it happens.”

Aidan pulled his phone out, frowning at the display. “It’s 8 pm.”

“Yeah, welcome to my life.”

Aidan chuckled. “The thrills of living on base.”

Sean grunted, stepping away from the door. “Come on in. The less time you stand out there, the better.”

Aidan did as he was told, stepping through the door and closing it behind him. He couldn’t help looking around and wasn’t surprised to find the place wasn’t all that well furnished. The living room to his right had a couch, a chair, and a TV set on top of a cheap-looking entertainment system. The dining room to his left had a table and chairs, but there were no additional decorations, no personal touches, and the dining set looked like it had been picked up from a local department store. Still, it was far better than what he had back in the barracks, so he wasn’t going to cast stones.

“Not interrupting, am I?” Aidan asked.