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"That was good work, kid." Al looked at his watch. "Got everything done before the sun went down at least."
Sam huffed out a big breath and sat on the concrete steps leading to his apartment. They had just finished moving all of Al's things into Sam's second-level unit, and he was exhausted. His tee shirt clung to his body from the sweat and he didn't even want to think about how his underwear were riding up in all the wrong places. He briefly wondered why Al didn't seem as tired as he was, but then remembered that Al had been in the military for almost his entire life and underneath his clothes hid a lean, muscular body that had withstood constant physical training and years of war.
Sam looked up at him and patted the empty area on the step. "Come on, sit. You're making me look bad."
Al laughed and sat down. "That's what happens when you're a boy genius bookworm who doesn't leave the office all day."
"Maybe I should start working out."
"I'll take you to my gym sometime. I started going regularly again about a month ago. It's been good for me. Anyway, I think you'll like it."
"A room full of smelly jocks grunting and sweating everywhere?" Sam raised his eyebrow at him. "Not sure about that."
"To each his own." Al shrugged. "Me personally? A room full of meatheads grunting and sweating sounds like a perfect Saturday night."
Sam laughed and shook his head. Sometimes he still wondered if Al actually wasn't completely straight or if the sex thing was just his schtick regardless of gender.
Al stood up and reached his hand down to help Sam to his feet. "Come on, no point in sitting here. I know you gotta be starving by now. I'll buy you dinner."
Sam stood up, not wanting to let go of Al's warm hand in his. He knew it might’ve been wrong to admit, but a small part of him missed taking care of Al as he went through withdrawal. He missed their ease of contact. Like when Sam grabbed onto his wrist to check his pulse or placed his hand on Al's forehead to feel his temperature or even when he rubbed circles on his back while Al puked in the toilet. Sometimes, his mind even wandered to that day they danced in the kitchen- their entire bodies touching, swaying to the soft jazz filling the air. He wasn't sure why he thought of those memories so often, or why he sometimes yearned to reach out and touch Al for no reason.
Sam let go of Al's hand. "I'd never say no to free food."
Al smiled and reached his arm out, wrapping it around Sam's back, and giving his shoulder a friendly squeeze as they walked to his truck. And Sam wondered if maybe Al missed the feeling of their bodies together too.