Self Sacrifice

A white ceiling, white sheets, crisp, modern. But it wasn't a hotel. Andy sighed and sat up, head thumping from all the tears he'd cried. He could smell food and just wished that none of it had happened.

It took a few minutes for him to brave walking downstairs. Austin had a t-shirt on for a change, usually in the mornings he was bare chested and sexy. But not this morning. Andy wanted to cry as he looked at the breakfast he was putting so much effort into making. He jumped out of his skin when he saw Andy standing there.

"Sorry, I must've been more quiet than I thought..."

"No problem. Want a coffee? I'm making breakfast...obviously, umm-"

"I think I'm gonna go." Austin froze and shook his head.

"Please don't."

"I just...I don't know wether or not I trust you, I want to...so much...but those pictures just messed with my head and I don't know what to do!! Dammit!" Andy thumped the work surface weakly, cursing slightly as it caused his crutch to graze on his bruised arm.

"Do you love me?" His tone suddenly lowered to a soft mumble. Andy looked at him warningly, asking him not to persist.

"Do you?" The hope on his face broke Andy's heart and tears fell silently.

"Yes."

"Please, let me do something to help you trust me again, call Sienson, call Quinn, call Charles! Ask them what happened." Andy sighed as Austin began frantically dialling Sienson's number on the video phone.

"Hello? Ah, hello gentlemen. How are we this morning?"

"Don't look so pleased with yourself. Your sick little plan didn't work." Andy hissed at him, praying that his plan would work and Austin would turn out to be telling the truth.

"Is that what he said to you? That it was some plan I created? Let me guess, to extort money from him? I have money-"

"No you don't. Your precious wife stole hundreds of millions of dollars from you, you're broke, and you're desperate to try and claw it back. I have to say I was expecting better from you." Sienson's jaw practically dropped as Andy blurted out his secret.

"H-how did you..?"

"I'm a journalist, it's my job. Just pray that I don't leak this story - it'd make me as rich as your wife." Sienson stammered and spluttered for an answer that never came out.

"So, is it true? And if you lie to me, I'll know."

"Yes!! It's true!! You little bastard, I'll get you for this-"

"No you won't. Because I've got your little secret stored safely away in here." Andy tapped his head smugly.
"Now, goodbye Condad. I suggest you leave us alone in the future." Andy hung up and leant against the wall.

"That was amazing!! I wish I'd've known you had skills like that, I could use you as a business partner!" Andy slid down to the floor, suddenly drained, and Austin's smile disappeared.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be. You..you were right not to trust me, you're smart. And there was evidence that proved me wrong, you were right-"

"But I wasn't. I'm s-sorry for not trusting you." He almost whispered as Austin knelt in front of him.

"Don't be. Do you believe me now, though?" Andy nodded, sobbing gently and Austin pulled him forwards into a hug, kissing his head.

"God I've missed you." Andy mumbled that he had too, muffled by Austin's shoulder.

"I never wanted to leave-" Austin kissed him and wiped away his tears.

"I know. I know you didn't."

"I love you."

"I love you too." Andy kissed him, crying, trying to show him in the kiss and the hug that followed how much he cared. Austin pulled him onto his lap, kissed his collar bone and sighed against his chest, it was almost as though now they'd declared their feelings, he wanted to literally hold and kiss Andy's heart. Put his mark on it. Although of course, Andy thought with a smile, he already had.

"The pancake that's in the pan is gonna burn-"

"Let it." Austin's hands rested on his hips, fingertips curving into his favourite place, the dimples on his back, thumbs on the sensitive area below his hips. Andy curled his fingers in Austin's hair and leant back, taking in his face before kissing him. He winced suddenly when he twisted slightly and the bandage on his side pulled, but Austin let go, thinking he had hurt him.

"It wasn't you. These damn things though...you can trust me when I say that if I wasn't like this, I'd be having my way with you right here." Austin raised an eyebrow and kissed him again, picking him up as he stood and sitting him on the back of the couch.

"Same to you. Although, I'm pretty sure I could have some of my way with you, with the bandages." He started to walk into the kitchen when Andy caught the back of his t-shirt.

"Woah..you can't say something like that and then leave me in suspense."

"Actually I can. It was against doctor's orders...I won't have any of the healed ones splitting just because I can't keep my hands off you."

"You know, if they split, then I honestly can't think of a better reason for them to." Austin laughed and pulled him with him into the kitchen, finishing the rest of the pancakes.

"Jesus, how many did you make?!"

"Well, the mixture said it made eight, and I thought that didn't look impressive enough, so I doubled up the mixture, but then it turns out it made a lot more than sixteen...so here you go. We're gonna be eating pancakes for years." Andy laughed and they ate breakfast with the radio playing, messing about with maple syrup and laughing too much. When they cleaned up, Andy was almost sad it was over.

"I'm not working today."

"Yes, yes you are. Because when you don't work you get stressed."

"No ones working today, I, as the head of the company, gave everyone a day off today. So no stress." Andy smiled and looped his arms around Austin's neck.

"Well then, I'm sure I can convince you to do some of that damage you were talking about if I have all day." With that he winked and left the room with a laugh.