Cut and Run 1 - Cut and Run

four more months to the tally."
    "You going for a record?” Ty asked heatedly. “Because I don't give a flying fuck about the people you were working with in fucking Florida."
    "What are you saying, Ty? ‘Cause I've changed my mind about four times about what I think you're saying,” Zane snapped back before turning on him. “I didn't give a shit about anybody for five years, and then when I did, I didn't do a damn thing about it slipping away."
    "I'm saying,” Ty answered in a slow, stubborn tone, “that I would be hurt if something happened to you."
    Zane's anger wilted, and he just looked at Ty while he stood there and ached inside. “I don't want to hurt you."
    Ty had nothing to say to that. He sighed heavily and shook his head. “Is this going to interfere with what we have to do?” he asked resignedly after a long moment of tense silence.
    "I'll stop with the drinking,” Zane finally promised after a long pause, turning to pick his shirt up off the floor.
    "And your other ... addictions?” Ty asked slowly.
    Zane tilted his head, trying to stretch some of the tension out of his neck before looking back to Ty. “I'll get it under control,” he murmured, settling his dark eyes on Ty's body appraisingly.
    Ty shivered slightly in the cool air of his bedroom, and he looked away toward the window and the small balcony. “You staying here tonight?” he finally asked in a beaten voice.
    Looking up at himself in the mirror, Zane knew what his reply had to be, as much as he didn't want it to be. “No. I'll go on ahead and find somewhere for us to work,” he said quietly. It would not be a good idea for him to stay so close to Ty. It was far, far too tempting, and he knew he'd never be able to resist.
    Ty sighed and rolled his head back and forth. “How ‘bout this, then?” he said in exasperation. “I would like for you to stay,” he told Zane slowly.
    Zane sighed and turned to walk over to Ty, sliding his arms around his waist and leaning to press their foreheads together abruptly. Ty had asked; Zane would go for broke. “So,” he murmured. “Is this one addiction I can indulge?"
    Ty's eyes closed as soon as they made contact, and he turned his head to the side and sighed softly as he slid his arms around Zane. “At least it's not one that'll kill you,” he answered flatly.
    Zane's mouth tipped up at the corners. He wasn't too sure he'd say that. “I'll stay,” he murmured.
    Ty just nodded in response, not moving from the tentative embrace. He rested his chin on Zane's shoulder and exhaled slowly. Zane squeezed his arms tentatively. “Never a dull moment,” he muttered. They'd been flash and bang from the first moment they'd met.
    "Yeah, well, if you weren't such a dick...” Ty murmured with a small smile.
    Zane snickered. “Works out well since you're an asshole."
    "We're gonna have to talk about these puns.” Ty groaned as he pulled away and shuffled slowly for the bed. Neither man was thinking of sex any longer. It was obvious from the slump of Ty's shoulders that he had exhausted what energy he had left on being pissed off.
    "Mm hmm,” Zane answered, following along. Some sleep wouldn't go unappreciated, depending on if he slept at all without several whiskey shots first.
    "Next bad pun you make I'm kicking you in the shin. I don't care where we are,” Ty threatened as he turned and raised his chin.
    "Ah ah ah, you forget, pain is not an incentive for me to quit,” Zane prodded, crossing his arms.
    Ty responded with a swift kick to Zane's shin. Zane laughed and caught Ty around the waist, hefting him practically off his feet and swinging him around. Ty flailed gracelessly. A man of his size and demeanor was not accustomed to being tossed around like a rag doll, and it showed. Zane's size advantage was finally paying off. He snickered and let Ty get his feet under him. “You love it,” he teased.
    "Jesus,” Ty snapped as he held to Zane for a moment longer to make sure he really was on the ground again. Zane kept his arms wrapped around him, and he leaned forward to nuzzle the side of Ty's neck. “Well, that's ... sort of embarrassing,” Ty muttered almost to himself.
    Zane grinned and pressed his face close so the other man couldn't see it and get cranky again. Ty simply let himself be cuddled with a resigned sigh. Unable to hold back a yawn, Zane mumbled against Ty's skin, unwilling to move just yet.
    "Bed, huh?” Ty murmured as he finally wrapped his arms around Zane and