"We should probably order food now, anything in particular you're craving, Alex?" Ben changed the subject as he waved over the bartender and met no opposition from Donnach or Alex in doing so.

"I've a hankering for cake, if that's what you mean." Alex grinned at the frown Ben gave in response and spoke again before Ben had a chance to harp on his choice. "But I suppose a steak would be nice as well, man food."

Donnach sighed as it appeared that the two spies had gone off into their own little world of spy-inside jokes. He gave the bartender a shrug as the two men bantered over him. "A steak for the blond, medium-rare, and I suppose the same for the other and me." He made the executive decision but right when the bartender made to deliver the order Ben stopped him.

"Ah, cancel my steak and make it a Caesar salad, please? Dressing on the side, thank you." He smiled charmingly and Alex butted in before the bartender could leave with the new order.

"And if my steak could be just medium, please, I would appreciate it."

The bartender looked at Donnach with raised eyebrows and the SAS medic offered an apologetic smile. "No change on my part, sorry." The bartender left muttering something under his breath that none of them could catch and Ben chuckled.

"Never trust a SAS man with dinner orders." He remarked and Donnach frowned, narrowing his eyes at the new spy.

"You used to be SAS as well, Ben." Donnach said, one eyebrow arched. To that Ben nodded and twirled a finger in the air.

"And no longer a SAS man I am, for I am quite adept at giving others' dinner orders." he spoke with a tone fit for the high and mighty. Looking down his nose with a twist to his lips that belied his haughtiness at Donnach who snorted, not at all impressed by the theatrics of his friend.

Alex chose that moment to interrupt, leaning across the bar top in front of Donnach to address Ben with a grin. "I don't know about that, Ben, every time we go out you seem to be in the habit of forgetting what I like to drink, of all things." Donnach raised his eyebrows. Dinner dates? Them two?

Well, he certainly couldn't leave that topic at rest and so Donnach leaned casually on the bar top with one elbow to give Ben an arched brow stare. "You go out to dinner with the blond here but never have time to bring him with you to our meets at the bar and even miss out yourself on multiple occasions? Laddy, that's suspicious in my book." Ben at least had the grace to look guilty, knowing Donnach's intuition as he did, he couldn't get away with this through a smile and a song.

"You've got me, Scottish He-devil." He laughed then and drank from his mug. "I am such as the evil one in this story and actively try to prevent meetings between the blond and the gang! Oh the horrors!" He had the sense to put down his drink before raising his arms dramatically with his exclamation.

"I find it rather offensive that you both insist on referring to me as 'the blond' when I'm right here." Alex said, leveling a stare at Donnach who'd turned innocently to smile guiltlessly at him. The young spy laughed at the smile. "I should get you in a bar more often, if that's all it takes to get you joking around so naturally." He shook his head and sipped from the travel mug. Ben sighed and drank again from his mug.

"And the point of this entire evening is now absolutely ruined." He cast his eyes above to the ceiling as though it was some higher power's fault then turned to send Alex a reproachful look. "How did you even know we were here? Blasted brat." Donnach barely caught the hum that preceded Alex's words, the low noise swallowed by the crowd around them.

"Would you believe me if I said that I'd tapped your phone line and came here in revenge for the forced leave you have me on? To ruin any attempts at one-on-one socializing?" He grinned at the rise in Ben's eyebrows.

"I would have to disagree with the tapped phone line," Ben replied with a loftiness in his voice that Donnach recognized from the earlier food debacle. "But the ruining my life is entirely plausible coming from you." Alex snorted and Donnach almost mirrored him.

"This overconfidence of yours will be your downfall, Ben." Alex laughed, although Donnach noted the touch of sobriety in the sentence. It was true, he agreed, even faked as Ben was doing it was a bit of a risqué thing. Then the blond was leaning further down the table and Donnach caught a whiff of his hair. He recoiled and rubbed his nose with disgust.

"Goodness, Cub, when was the last time you washed your hair?" he asked as the spy looked at him quizzically. Alex pulled back and straightened, feeling his hair as if to test the question for its validity. Then he smiled with a blank innocence that made Donnach fell like retching rainbows it was so fake.

"Yesterday?"

The Scott shook his head. "Oh no, that does not smell like a day unwashed." He frowned. "I hope you weren't planning on getting laid tonight, because it would not be happening unless the lass had a lack of the sense of smell." Alex looked rather offended by that.

"Good thing I wasn't then, eh?" he muttered heatedly under his breath, turning away from the SAS man. Unseen to Donnach a smirk lit Alex's lips for the next retort, raising his voice to be heard more clearly over the din of the bar. "You'd think you had a vested interest in my getting laid." A fist to prop of his chin completed the image of pouting and Donnach snorted this time.

"Had I an interest in your getting laid I would switch that devil's brew in your mug with alcohol the second you weren't looking." He said and Ben laughed.

"Devil's brew," he rolled the word around in his mouth, testing it out. "I like that, fitting." He drank more from his mug and laughed again. Donnach watched him from the corner of his eye, turning his head to see more clearly. Getting drunk already? He mused skeptically. Can't be, if he started when I arrived. He might not have, Donnach didn't know when the ex-SAS man had arrived himself.

"If it's the Devil's brew then you can be sure that I'm properly and utterly ensnared." Alex retorted, turning back to level his stare fully at the other two men. "You will never pull me away from it. Ever." Donnach blinked, the declaration was quite earnest.

He smiled. "And what would occur if I happened to risk curing you of your addiction?" he asked, with equal levels of pure curiosity and playfulness. Alex shrugged and drank from his travel mug.

"I suppose you won't know until you try." His eyes danced over the rim, taunting Donnach to try. The exchange reminded the Scott suddenly of childhood dares, and he couldn't help but grin back at the blond.

"Am I being excluded now from this conversation?" Ben interjected, eyebrows seeming to be permanently raised. "Because I'll tell you, Donny, from personal experience that the blond can take quite drastic measures to not be without his 'Devil's Brew'." He chuckled and Donnach remembered something.

"I actually have to wonder at that, lads," he mused aloud, addressing both Alex and Ben now, instead of one or the other. "The last time Cub was at my place he seemed to be without his travel mug the entire time, no symptoms of needing it either." Ben froze in the middle of another gulp, jerkily putting the mug on the bar top and staring at Alex.

"That so…?" he breathed. "No need for coffee at…Donnach's place." There was a sudden sharpness to his eyes that appeared in Donnach's eyes to pin Alex in place. Who had just about begun to launch himself from the barstool he'd occupied.

A nervous laugh and another drink of his 'Devil's Brew', Alex shifted back into his seat as though he had just been making himself comfortable, not about to escape the scene.

"One Caesar salad, dressing on the side, one medium steak and one medium-rare." The bar keep appeared with the orders, breaking the bond that held both Ben and Alex in place. The former enthusiastically receiving his salad and the latter attempting to do the same. Donnach, watching Alex begin to cut furiously into his steak, began to wonder if he'd somehow touched on something sensitive between the two spies.

Seeing the tactlessness of bringing up the question then, as if he hadn't already done so, Donnach let the issue be in favor of cutting his own steak up and devouring it with a hunger he hadn't realized he had. Dabbing at his mouth with a napkin when he was done, he noted the status of his companions. Alex was making steady but slow progress at his own steak and Ben didn't seem to have really touched his.

"If you don't start to eat that soon I will be force feeding you." Donnach nudged his old team buddy gently with his elbow, Ben looked at him with a smile.

"I just realized how hunger I am not," he said. "I had a big lunch." He reached for the mug of beer and Donnach was quick to smack his hand away and back towards his fork.

"And now you will have a small dinner." He said with the authority of an experienced medic, the bend in his brow daring Ben to argue. "All you've had this evening is beer, I refuse to be responsible for the alcohol poisoning of someone other than Eric. Especially someone such as you who should know better." Ben sighed and with a half-smile began eating more voraciously than before after a muttered 'alright, alright, mum'.

Alex snickered on Donnach's other side and the Scot turned to eye his progress more intently as well. "And you, you had better finish everything on that plate. That leanness isn't all muscle yet, you need meat on those bones." He ignored the impish grin that lit up Alex's face and the comment that followed.

"Wouldn't you like to know how lean my body is."

It seemed that being at a bar brought out the strange side of everyone, Donnach mused as the bar keep took away his empty plate and he nodded for an offered water. Alex became much more childish, even flirtatious if Donnach wasn't hearing through a filter he refused to admit he had in regards to the blond, and Ben seemed prone to attitude switches like the wind changed directions.

"So, no coffee at Donnach's, eh?" Ben pulled Donnach from his thoughts, leaning over his empty plate with a thoughtful look and interlaced fingers. Alex refused to answer, shoving his mouth full of steak and pointing at it with a helpless shrug, as if saying 'sorry, can't talk with my mouth full'. Donnach snorted, if that was how he covered up most inquiries he was surprised the spy was still alive.

"Mr. Rider, can you explain what you were doing in our office?" "Can't. Chewing gum." Donnach snorted again as the scene floated across his thoughts, he could most certainly see evil villains growing infuriated with the guileless act of Alex's. Growing aware of his surroundings once more, Donnach found both men looking at him curiously.

"Think of something funny, pal?" Ben asked, with a cautiousness that Donnach grinned at. He inclined his head and scratched his clean shaven jaw.

"I suppose I did." He agreed and laughed as Alex swallowed finally the large amount of food in his mouth and made a point to take a long drink of coffee. Ben gave Donnach one last look asking if he was okay mentally before focusing on Alex once more.

"Drinking a lot now won't change the past." He assured the blond. Alex's eyebrow twitched and he took another sip.

"But one can try." He said, setting the travel mug down with a definite click on the bar top. Donnach leaned back slightly, stretching his back and allowing the spies better vantage points for one another. He found he rather liked not being in the spotlight when it came to the spies, watching them was actually quite entertaining. Too bad Ben had never brought Alex over to our bar meets. He though mirthfully. Although, perhaps this is why…?

…..

Alex didn't know the answer to Ben's query, and that was partially the reason he made it so difficult for him to question him. Noticing the way that Donnach had leant back in his chair and stayed that way, allowing for Ben to look at him without leaning across the bar top as much, Alex was beginning to feel that his revenge on Ben wasn't going to come that night.

No, it appeared that the tables had turned on him. All because of that seemingly innocent comment of Donnach's. Haha, get Ben into it, clever Mr. Snake.

He wished he had an answer. To be completely honest Alex was as freaked out by the incident as Ben had been when Donnach first brought it up, he didn't know why in the medic's place his caffeine addiction hadn't acted up and he hadn't even noticed that he'd left the travel mug in his car.

Tightening the grip of his left hand he assured himself once again that the mug was with him now, but getting rather low on coffee thanks to the amount that he'd been drinking from it since he'd arrived at the bar to ambush Ben.

"I do wonder how you forgot your mug in the car in the first place," Ben mused with lazy thoughtfulness, knowing full well that Alex was trapped and couldn't escape without looking highly suspicious. Although at this point I may as well risk it. He though somberly. "Seeing as how glued it is to your hand on a regular basis."

Alex laughed, eating up time while he thought frantically of a response. "I was just in such a hurry to be in Donnach's place," he said finally with an impish grin that seemed to be showing itself when the topic turned to Donnach, "It just slipped my mind!"

Ben's eyebrows reached the middle of his forehead. "Hurry to be in Donnach's place, eh?" he asked. Alex's eyes widened with the implications in the sentence he'd just spouted and a flush fought against his self-control to spread over his cheeks. A quick darted glance at Donnach showed the Scot seeing the bumble for what it was and smiling good naturedly. Well, Alex hoped that was what the smile meant.

He took another sip from his mug and was dismayed to find that he had to tilt back his head and it rather far in order to receive his nectar. He hoped the bar had good coffee, because none of the regular coffee shops he frequented were in the area and he also doubted Ben would let his free for the risk he would run off to never be seen again.

"New friends are wonderful to have." He corrected the slip up with a cheery grin at Donnach, who raised an eyebrow back at him. "I've been on leave for so long, with nothing to do, that the company was greatly desired."

He stared pointedly at Ben, who shrugged at the not so subtle accusation between the lines. "You brought it on yourself." He refused to accept the major blame for what had ultimately led Alex to this line of questioning.

"It is quite the relief to be able to spend time with another off duty military trained personnel." Donnach interjected then like a breath of fresh air and Alex smiled thankfully at him. The medic was quite understanding, he realized. "I can understand what would prompt him to forget something in the car…although I suppose you'd think the mistake would be realized at some point in the visit."

I take that back. Alex launched imaginary missiles at Donnach's head but the SAS medic appeared unfazed by the mental assault.

It seemed the sides of war were changing, because suddenly Alex was the target under fire and found himself nearly cowering under the speculative gazes of the ex-SAS man and the SAS man on leave. Why must I always act before I think? He thought, heart sinking, and attempted to steel himself for the interrogation to come.

To give the pretense of nonchalance he adopted his work poker face and took a casual sip of coffee. Maybe I should go...He considered, eyeing the two other men with another sip.

And then he did, quickly before Ben and Donnach had a chance to stop him without looking highly suspicious he slapped his share of the meal on the counter, jumped off the stool, eyed his watch and made apologies and promises that they'd continue the conversation later.

He hightailed it out of the bar and didn't stop breathing naturally until his feet were safely planted on his doorstep and hand on the doorknob. Within the minute Alex had locked the door behind him and made it into the kitchen to start brewing a new pot of coffee. Starting the coffee maker he was suddenly left with a period of nothing to do.

The house was quiet but for the hum of the nectar of the gods machine and the minute creaks and quivers of the house settling and cooling off. Leaning against the kitchen counter Alex let free a deep gust of breath and rested his head on a cabinet hung on the wall behind him, closing his eyes and loosening his shoulders as he moved.

In the peace introspection was only inevitable and Alex was reminded again of the anomaly that had taken place at Donnach's place and tried to come up with reasons that would put no blame on him or raise further questions. Reasons such as 'Donnach's reassuring and relaxing presence' were strictly out of consideration, as was 'being distracted by well built Scot with medical knowledge and an arousing voice'.

Those speculations were burned and replaced by nicer explanations that wouldn't put new friends in awkward places such as 'I just forgot' and 'I hadn't forgotten, I'm just very good at ignoring my own need'. The latter would work best, he was a spy after all and Donnach had brought up the issue before, it was only logical.

Yes. Alex decided with a smile and opened his eyes to stare at the ceiling fan above the kitchen table. I've grown used to lack when I need to be, just because it doesn't appear so in civilization is just because I'm not in spy mode. There's no point to pretending not to be addicted when your life isn't on the line. Because he most certainly wasn't going to admit, to himself or the Scot and especially not Ben, any feelings of attraction beyond friendship.

Determination set his heart and Alex nodded to himself. He would never admit it. It would only put people in awkward situations. He would stop being so playful with Donnach as well, that would only lead to misconceptions. Moving from the counter to take a seat at the table, Alex began staring at the dark window in his direct line of sight. Nobody needs to know. Everybody is happy.

For a seasoned spy Alex was quite stupid in many senses.

Hey there, readers, guess what? This is chapter five and I think we're either getting places or have just reached a very large wall! Yay for obstacles in gay love, right? Haha, anyways.

I think I'll stop apologizing at the end of each chapter because of lateness, because I've decided every time I update now is when I planned to update. I just never told any of you beforehand. (Oh yes, deluding myself to feel better. Taking notes from Alex.)

That and man apologies are probably getting repetitive, so I'll stop the repetition before it gets out of hand. There you go, you're welcome.

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed, everyone who's read and everyone who's subscribed! It's always a huge motivator to know that there might actually be people who want to read what my brain comes up with. Strange thought, sometimes, but hey I should be thankful not suspicious. So thankful I am. :)

Hope this didn't come too late (Who am I kidding again? Oh, right, me. Haha) and hope you enjoyed!

-Fridge