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Marco rolled his eyes. “That doesn’t count when he’s the one who calls you adorable.”

“You thought I was pretty cute once upon a time,” Dean pointed out.

Marco sighed, going back to the kitchen for another cup. “That was before I learned I was never going to be enough for you because you clearly need a big pain in the ass who snarls at the world in order to be happy.”

“From the looks of it, you don’t have much room to talk,” Dean called as Marco filled his cup.

Marco frowned as he walked back. “Carter and I...we aren’t like that.”

Dean watched his face, dark eyes sweeping. “But you want to be.”

Marco stared at the steam rising from his mug. “I do.”

“Does he?”

“I think so.”

“You think so.”

Marco didn’t need to look up to confirm the dubious tone in Dean’s face. “Things are complicated with him, Dean. I don’t think this sort of thing comes easy to him. And I think it weirds him out that I like him.”

Dean scoffed. “He finds it weird that you like him? That’s not exactly a ringing endorsement.”

Marco looked up with a glare. “Boy, I wonder why he might have a chip on his shoulder when everyone who meets him immediately treats him like the bad guy.”

Dean held his hands up in placation, smiling gently. “Be easy, my friend. I’m not criticizing him as a person. But as your friend, I’m allowed and even obligated to look at a situation that could easily go wrong and be worried for you.”

“I think he doesn’t know what to do,” Marco admitted with a sigh. “And I don’t want to push him too hard. I don’t know his whole story, but I’ve picked up enough to know his attitude, his...everything, is probably the only way he’s been able to get through life.”

It was Dean’s turn to sigh. “You’re really fixed on trying to see this through to the end, aren’t you?”

“I am.”

“No chance of convincing you to bow out while you still have a chance?”

“Dean.”

His friend laughed again, shaking his head. “Fair enough. If anyone had known I was pining after Sloane for all those years, they would have told me to back off and let it go. I probably would have growled at them and told them to leave it alone. And now look at me, in a relationship with my formerly straight best friend and living my dream.”

“So, there’s always hope?” Marco asked, lips quirking.

Dean smiled, uncrossing his legs. “Always. Doesn’t mean things will work out, but hope springs eternal, right?”

“I know what I’m risking,” Marco said quietly.

Dean nodded. “I know you do. I’m worried, just like Sloane is, but he’s too used to protecting people to back up and let you do what you need to do.”

“You came here to defend your man, didn’t you?” Marco asked dryly.

Dean rolled his eyes. “No, I told him he’d gone too far last night, and he needs to understand that even if it comes from a good place, there are better ways to behave.”

“God, I’m sure he’s in a good mood today,” Marco muttered.

Dean grinned. “Don’t you worry about his mood. I took care of that after I was done telling him what was what.”

“Oh. Thank you for that, just what I wanted to think about,” Marco complained.

“The man with rough sex marks on him doesn’t get to complain.”