Love is Always Write Anthology Volume 7

part of him and the coldness slowly melted off and left Ty just a bit dazed.
    He turned his head, just slightly but enough to see Chase and what he saw was still the satisfaction but worry too. And he really wasn't feeling the combination especially coming from this man. "What the fuck just happened?"
    Chase ran his fingers through Ty's hair while poking the glass with his other hand. "Drink."
    Ty did, never leaving Chase's eyes and he hardly felt the water against his tongue. Chase looked so different now, much softer in some way though he still looked the same. His hair was just as much of a mess as ever, eyes just as dark. Brows that were always held low with a furrow in between looked the same and so did his lips that were never truly smiling though the man was. But the way he looked at Ty was different. Much more intense and still not one bit sensual. "You feel better now?"
    "Answer my question."
    "Clearly you feel better," Chase muttered and glanced at the belt that was still lying on the floor. His gaze hovered somewhere on the floor before he looked at Ty again. And he seemed to search through Ty's face, and Ty wasn't sure if he found whatever it was he was looking for. "I think what happened was…that you were too tired, and I'm sorry I didn't notice that. You haven't been fighting any longer. And I think you actually like staying on the floor. It can get a little consuming when you fall far enough. And it can be a bit confusing and I'm not really surprised you felt that way, because your reactions aren't really accurate when you're tired. You can easily let go if you're not completely intact."
    "I did not let go," Ty muttered and took a sip of water. Chase wore one of his one-sided smiles, his hand against Ty's back now and somehow the small, circling movements his hand made seemed completely natural now. "I know you didn't. But you would have if I had pushed you a little further. No point in arguing 'cos you know it's true."
    Ty held the glass with both of his hands now, hands low against his lap and so were his eyes. He didn't like the thought of letting go. Of himself especially. And still he knew Chase was right and that was very frightening.
    "It's okay, Ty. When you get there, you can do it. It's safe to let go and eventually you need to do that, or else this is all pointless."
    "Not that easy, you know."
    "Actually it is. All you have to do is…let go." Chase brushed the side of Ty's face, gesturing him to turn to look at the man, and he did, a bit timid and not at all sure of himself anymore. "I'll be there and I'll take care of you, so there really is nothing to be afraid of."
    "Promise?" And as soon as Ty said it, he wanted to take it back. He sounded much too scared, much too afraid. But then again he was. Afraid and scared and terrified. Lost in himself though he was almost intact now. But Chase simply nodded and poked at the glass again. "I promise."
    ****
    The exhibition was a hectic mess with what felt like fifty million people asking questions that even Ty found stupid and random. Does it hurt? Well duh . Does it bleed? Hello, it breaks your skin. Are those like actually real needles? Yes, someone actually asked that and Ty was surprised Chase was even trying to be polite while he answered. The one asking the question was a perky, twenty-something blond, her face picture perfect and eyes like small stars and she made it her business to hover at Chase's booth for ever , until it wasn't just Chase that was getting sick of her being there.
    Ty wouldn't go as far as to say that he was jealous. No. He wasn't, couldn't be. But she was annoying, and she was so obvious with her stupid pick up lines and even stupider questions. By the times she had flashed her lashes for the sixtieth time and leaned against the small counter they had put up in the booth, with her breasts close to falling out of her halter-neck top, Ty was on the verge of telling her to fuck off before he'd fuck her off. But of course he didn't. Because out of him and Chase, he was the polite one. And he managed to sit still and wait for Chase to get his tools ready and actually listen to her yak on and on and on about how much she had always wanted to get a real tattoo and how much she feared it would hurt – what a shocker – but when she fluttered her lashes some more and implied that she would gladly take any personal guidance into the world of body art, Ty wasn't feeling at all polite.
    "You know what," he muttered and turned