Chapter 8
Mack woke and for a second couldn’t remember where he was. He realized his arm was wrapped around something warm and moving. Oh yeah, Fitz, and he smiled to himself. Fitz was murmuring and twitching in his sleep, that must be what had disturbed him and woken him up. The noises were quiet, but he sounded scared, like he was trapped in the middle of a nightmare. Mack couldn’t make out any real words, just mumbles. Fitz’s movements started to become more pronounced and Mack thought he heard him cry out ‘no, don't’. Mack gently rubbed Fitz’s shoulder to try and calm him down.
There was a sudden cry, his arm jerked wildly narrowly missing Mack’s face, and Fitz sprang awake, sitting up, panting hard, and wide eyed. His hands grabbed the covers on either side of him tightly and Fitz stayed like that for a few seconds, before looking around and seeming to notice Mack. Fitz looked at him for a moment before gathering himself to say ‘s-sorry, I w-w-w, you aren’t sleeping.’
‘That’s okay Turbo,’ Mack said, ‘bad dream?’
‘Yeah,’ said Fitz, ‘sorry.’
Trust Fitz to apologize to for some so clearly out of his control.
‘You want to talk about it?’
Fitz shook his head. ‘It’s almost five, I’ll probably just get some work done. I won’t sleep now.’
Mack remembered Fitz telling him he didn’t sleep much but he’d assumed he was an early riser, not that he had trouble sleeping like this. Fitz kissed Mack on the forehead, ‘you get some more sleep. The door locks behind you, I’ll just see you in the garage when you’re ready,’ and with that Fitz was up. A quick shower and literally ten minutes later Mack found himself in the flat alone. Mack was tired and managed to nod off again, wrapping himself up in covers that smelt of Fitz and only waking when the alarm on his phone went off at 7.45am.
He gathered his things and walked to the garage, finding Fitz in the middle of something complicated looking, a large machine beeping angrily at him. Fitz did not look impressed; the beeping was clearly not part of his plan. Mack approached warily, he knew some of Fitz’s gadgets could be dangerous. ‘Hi,’ I was just going to shower, then I have a quiet morning. Do you fancy going out for some breakfast?’
‘Sorry, I just got a new deadline for this damned thing,’ and Fitz indicated the beeping appliance, ‘I think I’m going to have to work through most of the next day, maybe two.’
Mack was disappointed but he saw how hard Fitz worked himself, he supposed it was something he would have to get used to if they were going to be a couple. Well, he hoped that’s what they were to each other now. He decided to risk a peck on the lips and was glad Fitz accepted it and shyly smiled at him.
‘Okay,’ Mack said, ‘I’ll see if Bobbi’s around. See you later.’
Mack couldn’t help but grin all the way upstairs and even through his shower. He thought back to their time together last night, all of it had gone better than he could have expected. Fitz was amazing, kind and clever and funny. Mack knew he was falling hard but there was nothing on earth he could do to stop it now, he just had to go along for the ride. He texted Bobbi and set off to meet her feeling light on his feet and humming softly to himself.
She was already waiting for him when he arrived at their favourite breakfast hangout.
‘Hey there lover boy,’ she teased, ‘you too busy to text me back last night?’
Mack blushed and looked down to study his menu.
‘Oh, you really were too busy! I thought you just didn’t want to share the gossip.’
Mack ignored her comment and waved a waitress over to order his food. That done, he sipped the coffee she’d ordered him and sat back in his chair with a contented sigh.
‘So, it went well?’, Bobbi asked. ‘Yeah,’ Mack sighed, knowing he looked like a goofy lovestruck fool but unable to hide his feelings from his best friend.
‘I’m glad, you two are good for each other,’ Bobbi said, but she looked serious. ‘Looks like you really like him’ and she frowned.
‘What’s up Bob? Hunter?’ Mack guessed, ‘What’s he done now?’
‘Nothing like that. I wasn’t going to say anything actually, but I suppose it kind of concerns you too.’
Mack raised his eyebrows in surprise. ‘What is it?’ He was worried, Bobbi looked like she had bad news to share.
‘It’s Fitz.’ Bobbi waved her hand to calm Mack down as a look of panic crossed his face, ‘no, he’s fine. Well, that’s it really, he is fine. He’s doing so well, and his ex-employers want me to make the offer, convince him to come back.’
Mack was stunned. He was used to Fitz being around and now they were just at the start of something, something he was hoping would turn out to be very special. ‘What do you mean Bobbi? They want him to consult?’ He knew that wasn’t the case, she wouldn’t have that pained look on her face if it was that simple.
‘No, they want him back. If he says yes, he’d be gone Mack. It’s classified work, he would have to leave.’
Mack felt lost. Fitz was so clever, he was wasting his talents working alongside him in the garage. Fitz was going to go, just as Mack found out how much needed him. Just as he found out he couldn’t picture his life without Fitz in it.