Work Text:
"You don't have Emily this weekend, do you?"
Tobias didn't recognize the phone number, but that didn't mean anything. He knew who the text was from. "No Emily. Why?" he texted back.
He received an address back and a note, "Meet me here Friday evening at seven PM. Bring clothes to wear through Monday. Let's have a holiday vacation."
Fornell raised an eyebrow, but made a note in his calendar and checked to see if he would need to take extra time off or if his team already had the weekend off. Satisfied that he could make the suggested appointment time, Fornell simply replied, "Ok. See you there."
He wondered what kind of long weekend vacation Trent planned this time. Sometimes when they met up it was non-stop sex, as rough as they could handle it for as long as they could take it. Other times, it felt like lovers, super tender. He never knew which one he'd be on the receiving end of. Sometimes he could guess based on the tone of the messages or invitations. Other times, he just didn't have enough information to figure out what Kort was looking for.
He wished he could return the favor. He didn't like feeling like Kort called all of the shots. He hated it. He wanted it to be a mutual sharing where they both invested in the relationship, but planning a date for someone when you never knew their availability proved extremely hard.
He probably should have called it off a long time ago, but he had a secret. One that he suspected Kort already discovered. He'd fallen in love with Trent and couldn't bring himself to turn down any time spent together. No matter how much it hurt knowing that Kort didn't return his feelings, spending some time with him would always be better than no time. At least, that's how Tobias always felt.
Emily still held the number one spot in his life and she would until she'd fully entered adulthood and moved out on her own. Fortunately, Kort understood that and didn't mind being second to his little girl. He'd never once begrudged Tobias anytime with Emily though Emily and Kort never really hung out. Fornell wouldn't mind if they did, but Diane would have his head if she ever heard that Trent spent time anywhere near the vicinity of her daughter.
As he slogged through the daily paperwork generated by the FBI, Tobias' curiosity prompted him to send another message, "Do I get a hint?"
"Nope."
Fornell sighed. Kort really did love his secrecy. He enjoyed surprises, but guessing and piecing together clues in an attempt to figure out the secret brought forth most of the happiness from a surprise in his mind. Of course, with zero data he lost a lot of the fun.
Glaring at his paperwork and wishing that Kort would be more forthcoming, Tobias hoped for a distraction. No, Agent Sacks flirtations did not count. He only felt pure annoyance from those.
The other agent needed to catch a clue. He'd been trying to ask Fornell out for ages. Even before Tobias hooked up with Kort, he'd never been interested. If the man didn't catch on soon, Tobias might have to do something drastic that would affect their working relationship. He suspected that Sacks thought him the oblivious one, however.
After another few hours, he finally dragged himself home for the night. Every so often he wished that his relationship with Trent leaned closer to normal. It would be nice to come home to his partner having prepared dinner when he'd had a long day like today.
The next day he waited to see Emily off to school before heading into work himself. Only one more day and he'd find out what Kort's machinations resulted in. It couldn't happen soon enough as far as he was concerned.
He wondered if Kort considered him just a hookup or something more? Were they heading down the aisle together or just walking in the same direction? They'd never talked about exclusivity and always used protection. Tobias wanted more, but he feared that he'd scare Kort off and he'd lose what he currently had.
"What are you thinking about?" Sacks interrupted.
Fornell frowned as his train of thought completely dissolved. "What do you want, Agent Sacks?"
"This came for you today." He dropped an envelope on Toby's desk.
"Thanks." Fornell's mail shouldn't be delivered via Agent Sacks, but he didn't want to start a fight when his vacation with Kort would happen in a matter of minutes.
"I hope you're being safe," Sacks remarked snidely.
Tobias raised an eyebrow. "Safe?"
"Yeah. It's pretty obvious you're seeing someone." Sacks pointed at the envelope.
"Did you read my mail, Agent Sacks?" Fornell felt mild annoyance at the thought. He should be angrier, but honestly the man had stepped over worse lines. One of these days, Tobias would have to report him to his superiors but for now he just focused on his upcoming vacation.
"No. I didn't have to."
"Then what could have possibly led you to that conclusion."
Agent Sacks nodded to the envelope. "A ring sticks out when everything else is flat."
"Ring?" Tobias muttered in confusion, glaring at the envelope. No return address. Yet addressed to him, including the department just like interoffice mail. What was going on?
"Do I need to beat up someone for rejecting you?" Sacks offered.
Fornell shook his head. "No." He sighed. Shooting Agent Sacks a dirty look, he asked, "Did you need something, Agent Sacks?"
"No," the other agent sulked and returned to his desk.
Fornell contemplated the envelope. If it really contained a ring in it, he didn't want to open it here. On the other hand, any official business could be crucial for him to open now. Glancing closer, he noticed that despite looking like it came through the interoffice mail nothing about the envelope looked official. He slipped it into his bag to deal with at home.
The rest of his workday might as well have not existed. His mind kept drifting to the envelope and who it could be from. His heart wanted it to be from Trent. He hoped for a sign that the other man wanted to take their relationship to the next level, but he kept telling himself not to. Kort had never even hinted at wanting marriage before, so he doubted the envelope held a proposal.
He wondered if the envelope actually came from Sacks. Could the other agent just be trying to play it off as nothing? Maybe someone wanted Fornell for an undercover op? The desire to just open it and find out the truth grew as the day progressed.
Finally, he couldn't take it anymore and left early. He could get away with it for one day. He'd just make it up next week.
After he reached home, he checked to make sure that Emily hadn't unexpectedly returned before ripping open the envelope. The ring tumbled out onto the dining room table and he quickly grabbed it to prevent it from rolling away somewhere that he would never find it again. A letter and another piece of paper fell out as well.
Tobias grabbed the letter and started to read, "I wish I could be offering you the real thing but I hope you'll agree to it anyway."
What? Someone wanted to marry him for real? Or were they apologizing for a fake ring? He read on. "You see I find myself in a bit of a pickle. My cover was compromised. I managed some fast talking and convinced them to hold off on killing me, but they're now asking for proof of my claims."
Proof of what claims? None of this made any sense. The whole thing sounded like some of those weird stories that Emily read online. He thought she called them fanfics.
"I told them the CIA forced me to work for them by threatening your life."
Tobias gasped and dropped the letter. What? He immediately picked it back up, compelled to read more. "Now they're demanding to meet you. I apologize for bringing you into this. You'll need to bring proof of our engagement too."
He still had no idea who had written this letter to him. His confusion increased with every sentence he read. Really, what on Earth was even happening here? "I showed them the picture I had of us in my wallet and that bought us some time, but I really need you to join me this weekend wearing your ring."
He'd already promised to meet Kort this weekend. Was this from him? A hint or surprise for this vacation?
This seemed like a very elaborate scheme for a prank but also too fantastical to be real. Was someone telling the truth? What was going on?
"Remember, I love you." The letter ended with a signature of TK.
Tobias stared at it for a bit before remembering the existence of the second piece of paper. He set the letter down and picked up the other paper. It listed out an entire undercover persona for him including his new name, his background, etc.
He raised an eyebrow and wished that there was a way to interrogate a piece of paper. He desperately needed more information than this. It had to be from Kort, right? Anyone else would have had to include an address in the letter, but what was happening?
Was Trent in trouble? Tobias remembered Trent once mentioning off-handedly that no one called him by his real name. The CIA had given him a new alias and cover in the form of Trent Kort. Could this just be a way to spice up their sex life with a little roleplay? Fornell's mind spun as he struggled to make sense of this.
He'd asked for a hint, but this was more of a clue four by four. Only he found himself with more questions than answers. He slipped the ring on his finger. He should analyze it to find out if it was the real thing but he didn't have time for that if he was going to back up Trent later tonight.
He needed to memorize the data provided and then burn it. Then he needed to pack and be ready for anything. He could feel the adrenaline coursing through his system. He hated when Kort pulled stunts like this, but he also loved that it was never boring with him.
He just hoped that he was enough and that everything would be explained when he arrived at the address later tonight. He had a lot of packing to do. Fortunately he didn't have to worry about Emily as Diane would pick her up this afternoon and take her for the rest of the weekend and through the end of next week. They'd agreed to transition after school on Friday so that neither of them had to see each other. Plus that way, it was easier to plan three day weekends.
Thinking over the letter, he realized he needed proof of their engagement too. He didn't even have a picture of the two of them together. Which reminded him... How did Kort have one?
He grabbed the letter to see if he'd missed something originally. He found an entire back page. "I know you're probably freaking out right now, but don't worry. I've planned for this. You'll find everything you need in a locked wooden box in the bottom of your closet."
Tobias set the letter down and went to see what it was talking about. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong. He really hoped that he worried for nothing.
He easily found the wooden box exactly where the letter said it would be. Discovering a combination lock, he brought it back to the dining room table in an attempt to find a way to unlock it. He prayed the letter would have the secret password.
"The code is the date we got married."
What? He and Kort never married. He'd only ever married one person, Diane, but she would never do something like this. Was this a trick question?
"Ha! Got you! It's the date you got married, of course."
Tobias quickly entered the date of his marriage to Diane and grinned as the lock opened. He removed the lock and lid of the chest and peered inside. He found a picture of Trent and him from a previous vacation. He remembered this one. Trent had been particularly tender and romantic and they'd enjoyed walking the beach and watching the stars and all those other romantic clichés.
The box also contained a passport and driver's license for his new alias. He pulled out his wallet and emptied the contents onto the table. He replaced his ids and credit cards with the new ones. His real ids he hid in an inside pocket of his duffle bag.
A marriage certificate with Trent's alias and his also lived in the box. Fornell added that to the duffle as well. The cash, he inserted in his wallet.
Not seeing anything else, he returned to the letter. "I've included a number of items which I hope will be helpful if the worst case scenario happens. Make sure you grab everything in the bottom compartment. Who knows what we'll need if I have to call you in?"
Tobias searched the wooden box for the hidden compartment Trent mentioned. He found two different ones and grabbed everything from both and dumped it into his bag. He picked up the letter again and read the last few bits, but they didn't contain anything else of importance.
Fornell wondered how he was supposed to pack appropriate clothes for this. Did he need leather or something else that could help protect his body from a fight? Did he need to look submissive? Did he need to look like Joe Schmoe off the streets? Was he supposed to look like an FBI Agent in an ill fitting suit? He really wished he had more to go off of.
He only allowed himself the one duffle, so he decided to leave the suits behind. He brought a smattering of jeans, button up shirts, t-shirts, and shorts. Hopefully that would be enough to cover any occasion he might run into. Finally, he slipped his gun into his bag and prepared to leave.
He lit the letter and alias on fire, dropping it into the fireplace to burn out. Walking out the door, he followed the instructions he'd found in the wooden box that indicated the way to transportation. One of the compartments had held keys, though to what he had no idea. Supposedly the keys went with something at this address.
Inside the building, which also opened with a passcode of his marriage to Diane, he found a truck. He didn't bother investigating it. He knew that Trent would have already stocked it appropriately and hoped that by the time he needed to know what those preparations were he'd find himself safely in Trent's arms.
He plugged in the original location that Trent had texted him to the GPS in the vehicle. Maybe he should have told someone where he was going? He still expected to be back by Monday though, so he didn't worry about it too much. He left his personal and work cell at the house. He only took the burner phone from the box with him.
He drove for miles. All thoughts of a happy holiday vacation with Trent had vanished after reading the letter. He rubbed, twisted, and turned the ring. He couldn't believe what he'd read. He found it even harder to believe Trent needed Fornell to save him.
He paused a couple hours into the journey at a mom and pop diner. He grabbed the phone and headed in, planning to order a burger to tide him over until he met up with Kort. He also hoped that it would help keep him awake for the rest of his journey.
He wondered if he should call Trent and try to get a feel for the situation. That's assuming that one of the numbers in the burner phone was actually Trent's. He didn't even know if that was the case.
First things first, food. Then he'd figure out how to tackle what was going on with Kort. He should have brought his actual phone with him so that he could call Trent's handler. Even if Trent couldn't really talk to him, his handler should have knowledge regarding this op, right?
Tobias cringed as he followed the waitress to a booth in the back. He remembered the last time he'd played backup for Trent on an op. Kort had gone off script without telling his handler anything and had almost given the man a heart attack.
After the waitress asked for his drink order, coffee, he handed her back the menu and just asked her for the best cheeseburger and fries they had. She nodded and left, returning with a mug and a coffee carafe. She poured him his coffee and left cream and sugar on the table in case he wanted to doctor it.
While he waited for his food, he pulled out the burner phone and flicked through the contacts, which included, "Aunt May, Uncle Peter, Ringo, and George." How was he supposed to know who any of these people were? If he had to guess, he'd blindly choose Ringo for Kort but had no idea if he was right and he couldn't even attempt to guess at who the other numbers were for.
His meal came and he eagerly took a bite, still contemplating the phone number situation. One of the contacts should be Kort's handler. Another might be his boss. He had no idea on the last one, however.
He dipped a fry in ketchup and munched on it as he considered what he knew about the situation. Kort had planned for him to be backup for an op in a very elaborate manner. He tossed out the idea that Trent would be proposing. If that was the end goal, the marriage license would use their real names or at least Toby's real name.
Did Kort do this every time he went on a mission? Was this a sign of how much Trent trusted him? Or had there always been a failsafe setup for him and this was just the first time it was being activated? Fornell really wished he knew the answer to any of those questions. It would make it a lot easier to figure out what he should do next.
He wanted to text the number that Kort had used to contact him about the weekend originally, but he hadn't memorized it and he'd left his actual phone at home. He felt like all kinds of a fool. It's entirely possible that this was all some elaborate trap to take him out of commission and Kort wasn't waiting for him anywhere along the way.
With a sigh, he paid his bill and left. He'd wait to call anyone for now. He continued down the road for another couple of hours. He hoped he was getting close to the final destination.
He'd been tempted to push through without stopping, but he'd caught himself falling asleep too many times to attempt that. A coffee and a walk should wake him right up ideally. He couldn't afford a traffic accident.
When he felt he could drive safely again, he sped the rest of the way to the address. The sooner he got there the better. He just really hoped that Kort was who awaited him at the location he was pulling up to now.
He didn't bother knocking on the door to the house in front of him. He just grabbed his duffle bag from the trunk and headed inside. He didn't know what awaited him, but he couldn't bring himself to care. It took everything he had to just put one foot in front of another right now.
If he'd just given himself over to a serial killer or something, he'd deal with it in the morning. Right now he had a date with a bed or the couch. He wasn't that picky when this exhausted.
He paused when he entered the house and found all of the lights on. "Hello?" he called out.
"Oh good, you're here. Did you bring everything?" Kort greeted him eagerly, leaning down to give Fornell a kiss.
Tobias looked between the bald man and the street where he'd parked the car a couple of times before announcing, "I'm too tired for this." He handed Trent the keys. "I'm going to bed. You explain in the morning."
Trent laughed and pointed. "The bed is through there and the door on the left."
Fornell nodded his appreciation, throwing the duffle in the general direction of his room and stripping off his shirt on the way. As he reached the room Kort indicated, he dropped his shirt and tossed the duffle again. Tobias stripped off his pants and crawled into bed wearing just his boxers. He fell asleep before his head hit the pillow.
The next morning he woke up and looked around. He had a vague memory of seeing Kort before he fell asleep. So where was he?
He heard voices from another room and wondered what was going on. Sitting up, he looked down and then eyed the closed door. He should put clothes on. It sounded like an entire party outside that door. He didn't want to embarrass Kort by going out mostly naked. On the other hand, he remembered the fake marriage proposal. Maybe going out there dressed like this would help sell the idea that they were enjoying their engagement.
"Honey, are you up?"
"Mrgrgr," Tobias grumbled.
The door opened a crack and Trent stuck his head inside. "Are you planning to lie in bed all day? Everyone's coming over for our engagement party soon."
"It sounds to me like they're already here." Fornell rubbed his eyes, trying to remember the few kernels of knowledge the letter provided.
"Some of them. More will come."
Tobias sighed. "Why are they here? I just got in last night."
"I know. I'm sorry. I tried to tell them you were jetlagged, but they wouldn't listen."
"It's ok. I'll manage. What should I wear?"
"Well I like what you have on." Kort leered.
Fornell rolled his eyes. "And what would your guests think?" He raised an eyebrow.
"That I'm a lucky man." Trent grinned.
Fornell shook his head. "You're trouble is what you are."
"Guilty."
"So how many people are we expecting and should I know any of them?"
"Probably twenty or so and no. They're aware that you lack knowledge of my business.
"What have you said about me?"
"Nothing much. Mostly that you're the love of my life."
Fornell took a deep breath. "Ok. Go keep them entertained. I'll figure out something and join you in a bit."
Kort hugged him and whispered, "Thanks. You're a lifesaver. There's a collection of clothes in the closet for you."
"Don't forget you owe me an actual vacation."
"Of course." Trent's eyes twinkled. "Whatever your heart desires, my love."
Toby coughed as he tried to laugh and it came out wrong. "Oh my god. Get out of here. Shoo."
Kort waved as he backed out the door. Fornell waited until the door closed again before going to explore the closet and bathroom. Two could play at this game and he wouldn't be the one who lost.
This would be easier if he had data on the people that would be at the engagement party. Would they be expecting someone slutty, someone refined, or something else entirely? He wasn't used to going into ops with so little information.
He had a few clothes in his duffle that he could wear, but he'd start with his options in the closet. What he'd packed didn't seem like it would fit this situation. He hadn't set out to seduce Trent and now he felt like he'd made a mistake. He hoped the closet would have something that he could use to knock Kort's socks off.
He stared at the closet, aghast. He'd wanted to seduce Kort not look like a freaking stripper. What the hell had Trent been thinking when he picked out these clothes for Troy? He knew Troy was not him, but come on he had some self respect.
He couldn't help feeling like everything in front of him would only be worn by people about thirty years younger than him. Skinny jeans, really? There was no way those would ever look good on him.
What the hell was he supposed to do with these outfits? He'd look ridiculous. He wanted to seduce Kort, not look like he was trying too hard or a fool or something of that nature.
What profession was his alias Troy supposed to have again? He needed something that would look in character and also that would make Kort swallow his tongue. He'd thought that his alias still worked for the FBI, but maybe he misremembered and his new job had listed hooker?
With a sigh and a lot of grumbling, he decided to give the black skinny jeans a chance. He wiggled and twisted his way into the skinny jeans. What the hell? How were these so comfortable?
Turning his head to glance in the mirror, he caught sight of his butt in them. Damn. These made his ass look good.
Ok. Maybe skinny jeans weren't so bad. He'd have to try them at home and see what Emily thought sometime.
The shirt options though... So much sparkle, how did anyone wear that much glitter without looking like a disco ball or Christmas tree? He supposed since this was an engagement party that he should expect to be the center of attention. Any of the shirt options would pretty much guarantee that. He wanted to be recognized for how good he looked though, not for how bright he shines in the light.
Shooting his duffle a mournful look, he pulled on a midnight blue shirt. It sparkled, but the dark color made it a little more understated. He still looked like a starry night sky but he also looked really good. He ran a comb through his hair and pulled on socks before giving himself one final look in the mirror.
He added a few finishing touches and finally pronounced himself good enough. He couldn't believe he really planned to go out there and strut his stuff in front of a group of people he didn't know and all for Trent. Well the bit about Trent wasn't surprising. He'd do a lot for that man.
He slowly peeked out the door. Had Trent said there would be twenty people out there? He hated making small talk at the best of times. He might go crazy before the end of the night especially with having to remember to call Kort, Terry.
Before he had time to contemplate how to introduce himself, Kort appeared right next to him. "There you are, Sweetie. They've all been waiting to meet you."
Fornell glared at Kort. "Sweetie?" he hissed. He may have put up with my love, but what the fuck. He wasn't anyone's sweetie.
Trent laughed it off, opening the door wider and wrapping an arm around Tobias. "Now, my love. Don't get upset. I can't help it if I think you're the sweetest thing in the world."
Tobias rolled his eyes. "You're laying on a little think, don't you think?" he whispered into Kort's ear.
"Mm. Not really. Just the perfect amount. You do mean the world to me, after all." Trent dropped a kiss on his cheek and then his jaw dropped.
Fornell shoved him lightly, appreciating the shocked look on his face that edged towards lust. "Asshole. Let's just get the introductions over with." He'd already fallen in love with Kort and the longer that Trent pretended they were engaged the harder it would be to return to their normal relationship. He wasn't looking forward to being jolted into reality. He enjoyed the knowledge that Kort found him attractive, but without anything deeper it didn't have the same meaning. Having to pretend that the deeper feelings existed when he knew that they didn't would break him if it went on for more than the couple of days planned.
"Aw, come on, Troy. You know I love you."
Tobias sighed and kissed Trent. "I know." Terry loved Troy. That didn't mean that Trent loved Tobias.
Trent beamed and led the way to his associates. Trent introduced him around and Tobias smiled and politely responded. He'd done this dance at political dinners before and no amount of practice could ever make it fun. He couldn't wait for an actual vacation, preferably with the knowledge that Trent was safe to live another year at least before he found himself in some other trouble.
Terry's associates all seemed excited to meet him. He'd expected subtle interrogation or flat out demands to know everything about him. He had the alias background memorized, but as per normal the gaps of information were the size of craters and left more questions than answers.
He really wished that Kort had taken the time to wake him up before people started arriving, so that they could make sure they were on the same page. He knew how to behave when it was just the two of them. Then the only expectations he faced regarded sex or some other clearly communicated desire.
Now he had no idea what was going on. Had he really been pulled into a CIA operation? How long had Kort been planning to pretend to marry him? He really just wanted to corner Trent and demand he explain, but instead he had to pretend to make polite conversation with people that he had no idea who they were nor how dangerous they might be.
His stomach had awakened as well. He hadn't eaten since the burger last night and he felt it now. He wished this party had been held somewhere else, so that they could just ditch it whenever. Why had Trent agreed to host it so that there was no chance of escaping for a long overdue conversation?
His hunger grew and after another hour since it started, he finally had enough. He stopped in place and leaned in to whisper to Trent, "You either need to feed me or I'm going to start making things very uncomfortable for your guests."
Kort smirked. "They deserve it, but I'll see about acquiring food for all of us."
Tobias watched Kort disappear into the crowd. The other man stopped to talk to a few people before eventually making his way into the kitchen. Tobias looked around at the rest of the room and gulped. He felt rather like a sheep surrounded by wolves.
"So Troy was it? How exactly did you meet Terry?"
Fornell reined in his snort. He still couldn't believe that Kort's had an alias of Terry Bear. He'd thought that Troy Eagle was a bad name until he'd realized what Kort had been saddled with. "Well, that's quite a long story. Are you sure you have the time?"
"Now we simply must know."
Tobias hummed. "It all started on a rainy day. I was minding my own business standing in line for coffee."
"Oi!" Kort hollered from the kitchen. "We didn't meet over coffee. Stop lying to them, Tory, Honey."
Toby snickered. "Just because you didn't recognize me then, doesn't mean that isn't how we met," Toby countered.
The associates' heads bounced back and forth between the two of them. Tobias really needed to figure out exactly who these people were. Mob? Drug dealers? Something else entirely? A computer company? Politicians? Really they could be anyone and it would make his life a lot easier if he knew what to expect.
"Anyway to continue before the peanut gallery interruption, I'd barely placed my order before this brash man took my place and immediately started making demands like he owned the place."
"Did you fall in love at first sight?"
"No." He shook his head. "He was far too rude for that. I felt bad for the barista. We ended up waiting for our coffees to be made together. He tapped his foot the whole time. A very annoying habit," Toby murmured softly.
They oohed.
"Once he finally received his coffee, he quickly ran out the door. I didn't figure I'd ever see him again, so it came as a surprise when I found myself on an op later on and spotted the guy from the coffee shop as one of the key players involved in the meet."
"That sounds awkward."
"It would have been, except he clearly hadn't paid any attention to me and didn't recognize me at all."
"Ouch. You didn't make an impression on him?"
"Apparently not. Needless to say, arresting him made a much greater impact on him."
"You arrested him?" They gasped.
"Yep. That was before I found out what he was really doing. After that, we teamed up and found we worked well together. From there, it was a simple jump to trying a relationship especially as we both don't naturally find people we want to date often."
"You're lucky. I still haven't found Mr. Right."
"I'm sure it will come in time."
He wished that Terry would return with dinner. He really did need to eat soon. He grinned when he saw Trent heading his way. The other man carried a pie as well as some other food and Toby started drooling.
He smiled gratefully and accepted the food. Kort directed the rest of the party members to help themselves and followed Tobias to a corner. Toby helped himself to the meal, taking a long time savoring the pie. He even went so far as to lick it off his fork. He watched Trent decide that everyone else really needed to be gone now and his face broke out into a grin.
There were a lot of knowing looks as people left, but Fornell ignored them. What they thought would happen once they left, likely had no basis in reality. When the door shut behind the last guest, Tobias asked, "How did I do?"
"You were perfect," Trent admitted. "Seriously, you saved my ass."
"Well it is a very nice ass," Tobias teased, squeezing it gently and trying to forget what would happen once this weekend ended.
"How can I make this up to you?" Kort smiled slightly.
"Why don't you tell me what's really going on here?"
"What do you mean?"
"A cloak and dagger engagement to save a CIA op with a random FBI agent? I'm sure the CIA has their own resources that you could have used."
"Oh." Trent's voice sounded flat and devoid of emotion.
"What happened, Trent?"
"So I may not be a CIA agent anymore." He looked away, not meeting Fornell's eyes.
Toby gasped. "What?"
"Yeah. They left me without backup when my cover was blown because they couldn't afford to be associated with the op in any way."
"You mean I'm saving a CIA op that the CIA abandoned? Tobias reached out to touch Trent's arm, wanting to comfort him.
"You're saving my ass. I couldn't care about the CIA any longer. I just wish we could get married for real."
Was that his idea of a proposal? Tobias shook his head. Sometimes he couldn't believe what the bald man came up with. "I would love to marry you for real," Toby admitted. "But you'd never be happy as a kept husband and you know it."
"I could join you at the FBI."
Tobias raised an eyebrow. "Somehow I don't think you'd last a day trying to follow the rules the FBI insists on."
Kort pouted. "Stop being reasonable. I'm trying to be romantic."
Toby smiled and cupped Trent's face as he pulled him in for a kiss. "I appreciate the effort, but your romance could use some work. Please figure out what you want to do for yourself first, Trent, before you try to figure out how I fit into your new life."
"Tristan."
"What?"
"That's my real name, Tristan. You're welcome to use it."
"When you're ready, find me. I look forward to an actual relationship with you, Tristan." Tobias smiled genuinely to take the sting out of his words.
"You're too good for me."
"I think your associates agree. Who were they anyway?"
Kort shuddered. "You really don't want to know."
"Worse than the mob?"
"Much worse."
"I trust you, you know?" Toby muttered.
"I know. You wouldn't be here if you didn't."
"So when is the next act?"
Tristan shook his head. "That was it. Tomorrow is just for us. I couldn't ruin an entire vacation for you and I know you need to be back to work on Monday."
"I love you." Tobias pulled Trent in for a hug. "I can't wait for you to come back to me. Don't take too long. I'll wait for you."
"You make it sound like I'm leaving forever."
"I really hope not. I'm hoping we'll be spending the rest of our lives together forever, but for now let's make the most of this moment." With a smile, Fornell grabbed Kort's hand and led him back to the bedroom, discarding their clothes along the way.