Cut and Run 1 - Cut and Run

incident, and that he sustained serious injuries."
    "Your information is wrong,” Ty answered matter-of-factly.
    There was a short silence and a rustling in the background. Ty assumed this desk jockey wasn't accustomed to bald-faced lies, and she didn't quite know what to do with it. “Very well, Special Agent Grady,” she finally said curtly. “We request that you submit observation reports as soon as possible, as we are, of course, investigating the incident. May we speak with Special Agent Garrett, please?"
    Ty turned to look down at Zane and raised an eyebrow. “I'll have him call you as soon as he's out of the bathroom,” he answered before hanging up.
    Zane woke while Ty was talking, and he'd figured out what it was about pretty quickly. When Ty ended the call, he opened his eyes to see the other man watching him. “Bathroom?” he asked, amusement in his sleep-laden rasp.
    "I could have said a number of other things that came to mind,” Ty pointed out. “If they know you were hurt, they'll yank you."
    Zane scrunched up his nose as he slowly pushed himself up, only wincing a little. “Yeah, probably."
    "I figured you didn't want that,” Ty added pointedly.
    "You figured right,” Zane answered, sliding to sit on the end of the bed, carefully shifting his shoulder and back, checking his range of motion. He was stiff at first, but soon was moving fairly fluidly, the pain a mere annoyance.
    "You're moving better, anyway,” Ty observed. “Guess that stick up your ass helps posture, huh?"
    Reaching his arms up behind him to stretch, Zane yawned, still mostly asleep. “You'd be surprised what that stick up my ass helps with.” He stood up, twisted a little and flinched, then started toward the bathroom, rubbing at his eyes.
    "Do I even want to know?” Ty called after him.
    Zane laughed as he shut the door behind him, but it died off quickly, and he leaned on the sink looking at himself. “Probably not,” he murmured before turning on the water. He stretched again carefully, grimacing, and looked over his shoulder at his back. While most of it looked okay, a couple of the deeper chunks were red and swollen-looking. He pulled open the door and stepped halfway out. “Hey, would you put some more of that stuff on my back? There's a few.... “Zane let the words trail off as he realized Ty was looking at the wall intently like he had heard something. “What?” he asked.
    "Nothing,” Ty answered with a shrug, his expression unreadable as he turned his head to look at Zane. He sat on the end of the bed, one eyebrow cocked curiously as he waited for Zane to continue what he had been saying.
    Zane tilted his head, frowning a little. “Help me out?” he asked, pointing his thumb over his own shoulder.
    "Sure thing,” Ty muttered as he stood and strolled over to grab the ointment. “Does it still hurt?"
    "If I move too quick or twist side to side, it's sharp. Otherwise just a dull ache, a few spikes here and there,” Zane said.
    "Pansy,” Ty offered with a smirk.
    Zane sighed. “I'll have to lose a limb before I get any respect from you, won't I?” he said, deadpan.
    "Maybe not a whole limb,” Ty answered thoughtfully as he made a dainty little “turn around” gesture with his finger.
    Shaking his head, Zane spun slowly in place, presenting Ty with his back. He closed his eyes at the first touch of Ty's fingers, telling himself to ignore the yank in his gut.
    "Relax,” Ty muttered as he placed his hands on Zane's tight muscles. “You're so damn tense, no wonder you still hurt.” He huffed as he prodded at some of the tender spots gently. He dipped his fingers into the tin of salve and began dabbing it onto the open wounds, then massaging it into the areas around them carefully.
    "You try taking a sheet of glass in the back and not be tense,” Zane objected, though he had to admit to himself it was more than that. Something about Ty was digging at him; the attitude, the bullshit, the hard-ass style—none of it fit with the gentle touches of his fingers. Zane's body was noticing.
    "No, thanks,” Ty responded wryly. “I prefer not to be a moron."
    "I'm flattered. I've moved up from idiot to moron,” Zane said. “And you have moved up from utterly reprehensible asshole to only moderately annoying asshole."
    "Only?” Ty repeated with a huff. “It takes effort to be this abrasive, I hope you realize."
    "Yeah, I guess so. But you just make it look so easy."
    "I make everything look easy,”