A Business Pleasure

Chapter 16: Promises

"Declan!"

Dec could hear a couple of panicky voices calling his name as he drifted out of his previous oblivious state. He could feel cold and damp ground below him and a light was shining before his close eye-lids, making him feel very uncomfortable.

"Dec!"

That voice was very familiar....he felt that he should know the owner, but he was still too groggy to think straight. He let out a groan and his eyes flickered open, squinting against the streetlamp shining into his eyes. He raised a hand to block the light, only to be met with resistance. He moved his gaze down to where he suspected his hand was and saw that it was being held in a death grip by another, but this one was much longer than his own.

"Dec?" that voice he recognized as Cat's and he felt his friend help him into a sitting position, leaning him against the hard brick wall. He took a few deep breaths to steady himself and then looked over at Cat.

"Are you okay?" Cat asked gently.

"I think so...." Dec responded, feeling more alert the longer he kept his eyes open, "What happened?"

"You fainted," she said, rubbing his hand soothingly.

"I fainted? Why?" Dec frowned, trying to remember what had happened previously, but it was all blurred. He felt a slight tug on his other hand and he turned in confusion to see who the other person was....only to nearly pass out again.

"Dec, not again!" Ant yelped as Dec suddenly sagged again and shook his head with a sigh, "Darn it...."

"Well, I don't blame him!" Cat looked over at him as well, taking in his changed appearance, "He hasn't seen you in nearly five years! And you two made a crazy-ass entrance!"

"It's not like I planned it out like that!" Ant protested, scowling at her, "Is it my fucking fault that you idiots can't keep yourselves out of trouble?"

Cat blinked, "Well, you've never called us that before.... or sworn actually...."

"Well- oh, forget it," Ant sighed, "I'm sorry, but past few years haven't exactly been kind to me."

"I noticed," Cat looked over at where the bodies had rested before Philip decided to hide them to avoid detection. She didn't want to know what Philip had done with them, but she expected that no one would be finding those thugs for a long time.

"I'll explain it all," Ant's voice was gentle again, "just let him wake up."

After a few minutes, Dec woke up again and this time, instead of fainting, he looked up at Ant clearly, as if this was the first time they had ever seen each other. He just stared at him, almost reverently until Ant started fidgeting under his gaze.

"Uh, Dec?" Ant grinned nervously, "You're kinda freaking me out-"

That was all he managed to say before Dec lunged forward, wrapping his arms around him and pulling Ant forward fast enough that the taller man tumbled into his lap. He pressed his face into Ant's neck, just taking in the scent that he had been craving for so long and allowing the feel of him to soak back into his skin. God, it was like coming home!

He felt himself a shake a bit and it was only when he felt Ant's hands on his face that he realized he had been crying. He lifted his head to meet equally teary blue eyes and had the sudden urge to kiss Ant's tears away, but didn't know if he should. Ant was in a similar state, not knowing if Dec wanted to be touched by him after seeing what he had become capable of and hearing what he had gone through. They stared at each other, both too afraid to make the first move yet both wanting to touch each other. Finally, the moment was broken when Philip came back, dusting his hands off.