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This thing between them is still new, but when Tay spots Vegas leaning heavily against the wall outside his hospital room, he doesn’t think, he just moves.
He makes it to Vegas in time to catch him as he begins to slide to the floor.
“Vegas, what are you doing out of bed?!” Tay asks, voice an octave higher than normal as he takes one of Vegas’s arms and draws it over his shoulder.
“I’m hot. And bored,” Vegas huffs irritably. “You and Pete have been gone ages.”
Tay feels something warm glow to life in his chest at being included in the same sentence as Pete.
Instead of focusing on it, he admonishes Vegas gently. “We’ve been getting the food you wanted. Let’s get you back to bed before you tear your stitches.”
Vegas grumbles, but allows Tay to lead him haltingly back into his room and get him settled. It’s been a week since he was shot, bullet tearing through the muscles of his thigh, but he’s already restless.
Tay is smoothing down the bedsheets when Pete returns, containers in both arms. He takes one look at Vegas and raises an eyebrow.
“You left your room.”
“How can you possibly know that?” Vegas asks, vaguely outraged at being caught.
He doesn’t even consider lying to Pete and that makes Tay smile. Vegas has changed a lot since Tay first met him.
“You’re out of breath and Tay is rearranging your blankets,” Pete says, placing the containers on Vegas’s bedside table. “It’s obvious.”
Vegas looks sulky for a moment until Pete walks over and slips onto the bed next to him, leaning in and kissing him gently.
“And I know you. You’re impatient.”
Vegas tries to scowl but it comes out as a lopsided half-smile, tender as the first rays of spring sun.
Tay suddenly feels like he’s intruding. He excuses himself to go and get coffee, not stopping when Pete calls his name, tears gathering rapidly in the corners of his eyes. Time never looked at him with half of the love and affection that Vegas and Pete look at each other with.
Tay wonders if maybe he doesn’t deserve it. Maybe that kind of love isn’t meant for him. Vegas and Pete have welcomed him into their relationship with open arms, but he still feels like an outsider. A tear slips down his cheek.
Before he can make it to the vending machine, footsteps sound behind him.
“Tay.”
He turns to find Vegas limping towards him, supported by Pete, who looks worried.
“Vegas…you’re out of bed again…” Tay trails off.
He looks at Pete questioningly. Pete reads his expression and responds, “I couldn’t stop him.”
They reach Tay and Vegas lets go of Pete, hands going to either side of Tay’s jaw. He leans in and kisses Tay fervently.
When they eventually part, Tay is breathless. Pete leans forward to gently wipe away the tear that’s still on Tay’s cheek and then he kisses him too.
As Tay and Pete separate, Vegas brushes a hand through Tay’s hair. “Whatever you’re thinking, you’re wrong. We’re together, the three of us. Through everything. Okay?”
Tay smiles, his heart rising at the sound of we. “Okay.”