Titus awoke later that day with a crick in his neck, a stiff back, and the biggest cat he’d ever seen in his life staring him in the face from where it was perched firmly on his chest. Somehow, it was still better than sharing a motel room with cockroaches or silverfish. He did wonder where the aches and pains had come from, as the sofa had been just as comfortable as Beau had asserted when he’d fallen asleep. “I blame you,” he fondly told the cat, scratching it lightly beneath the chin. It set the cat to purring so hard Titus felt it as much as heard it. Though he couldn’t for the life of him remember which name went to this particular cat. 

Fortunately, that problem was solved for him when Beau sauntered into the room a moment later. “Dammit, Oberon! Don’t suffocate our guest.”  Beau effortlessly scooped up the enormous fluff ball, who purred even louder at being flipped onto his back and held like a baby. Titus decided that his blame wasn’t misplaced too badly after all, as having that weight literally lifted from him improved the way his back felt immediately. That cat had to weigh close to 30 pounds. “Coffee’s ready,” Beau added, which Titus took as the Lyco’s version of good morning. “Sleep well?”

Sitting up, Titus rubbed at the back of his neck. “Like the dead,” he quipped before realizing it may have been in poor taste. But Beau chuckled, and Titus relaxed again. “What time is it?”

“‘Bout half past 10. Feel free to raid the kitchen. Ain’t got much right now, but you’re welcome to whatever you find. I’ll set you out some towels so’s you can wash up after.”

Titus looked up to thank Beau and froze, his mind abruptly shorting out as he realized that the only thing Beau was currently wearing was a pair of boxers. Though the Lyco was indeed covered in the same thick red body hair that Titus had already seen on his arms, it did exactly nothing to disguise the fact that Beau was absolutely ripped. And the man was cuddling a cat. It looked like a page out of a charity pinup calendar for an animal shelter. The only thing that allowed Titus to retain even a modicum of dignity was that Beau was in the process of turning away, completely ignorant of the fact that he was being openly ogled.

“Okay, thanks,” Titus managed to stammer. “I’ll, uh, take you up on that.”

Beau held up a hand and inclined his head to indicate he’d heard, but didn’t reply. Which Titus decided was a relief, if he was being honest with himself. He wasn’t sure if he’d have been able to handle more conversation with the other man right now. Not with the direction his thoughts were heading.

Pulling himself back together, Titus headed into the kitchen. Coffee before horny. That was going to be his policy for the day, damn it. And after that? Well, he had work to do. An undercover operation to plan. A missing Lyco teen to find. Besides, this was Beau’s house and if the man wanted to walk around in just his undershorts, that was his prerogative. 

Rummaging through the cabinets, Titus managed to find a box of cereal and a bowl. Beau had thoughtfully set a mug out by the coffee machine, and it only took a bit of hunting to locate silverware. Titus splashed a bit of hazelnut creamer into his coffee as a treat, then scanned the news headlines on his phone as he mindlessly shoveled cereal into his system. 

After breakfast and a quick shower, Titus excused himself to drive back to the local precinct to get everything ready for that evening, with promises to return around dusk so they could proceed with the plan. He decided to check out of his motel on the way, since he wasn’t planning to spend tonight there either and he didn’t want to write off any expenses he didn’t have to. The idea of leaving his luggage one more night than was necessary with the silverfish wasn’t exactly appealing, either. A little voice in the back of his head whispered that he could ask to just sleep on Beau’s couch again, but Titus shut that line of thinking down as soon as it popped up. 

Ky proved to be eager to help, volunteering information and assisting Titus in putting the operation together. Between the two of them, they secured the cooperation of the county sheriff’s department and Ky got three squad cars to be in the area that evening in case Titus needed backup. A wire was procured, though without a warrant it wouldn’t record any of the conversation and was really only useful for making sure Danni could call for assistance. Ky also decided at some point that he was going on the stakeout himself, which Titus outwardly protested but was secretly glad for; having his only contact in this force be on scene was honestly a relief. It also meant that Titus got a walkie talkie, so he and Beau could keep in communication with the other officers on the scene.

Titus decided it would be a good idea to put together a group text chat between himself, Beau, and Ky, with Beau looping Danni in as well, so that the core group could all be in contact with each other to coordinate. It was better to be over prepared than caught flat-footed, after all. And on the off chance that something happened to Danni, having their number would allow Titus to subpoena the cell phone carrier for tracking and ping information on their phone. 

By the time evening rolled around, Titus felt as prepared as he could after throwing together this operation on short notice. He left Ky to coordinate the additional backup and get to the address separately, so they could find places to hunker down without compromising each other’s positions. A quick text to the chat to let everyone know he was on his way back to Beau’s house for final preparations set the operation in motion.

Titus arrived back to find very little had changed on Beau’s end. The other man had at least put on some clothes, much to Titus’ relief, though he still managed to make grey sweatpants and a plain navy T-shirt look distractingly good. But now it was Danni wandering around Beau’s house in a state of undress. And that was somehow a lot more embarrassing to Titus. Especially when they proclaimed it to be “Tits Out Tuesday”, despite it being a Friday. It was all Titus could do to not turn around and walk right back outside as Beau bellowed for Danni to “put a damn shirt on!”

This is fine, Titus reminded himself repeatedly. I’m a professional. And cops see worse than this all the time. “This, uhm, makes it easier…to apply the wire…” The blush setting fire to Titus’ cheeks was threatening to incinerate him on the spot and he decided it definitely didn’t lend a shred of credence to his supposed professionalism. But he did manage to tape the wire into place without embarrassing himself. Even with Danni making completely unwarranted suggestive noises.

The next complication arose when they all went out to drive to the address. Beau took one look at Titus’ little rental and burst out laughing. “Oh, hell naw!” he proclaimed. “Ain't no way I’m driving anywhere in a hybrid.” Titus started gearing up to extoll the virtues of the little vehicle, but that all went out the window as Beau explained, “You think I can contort myself small enough to fit inside that thing? Hell, my fat ass would blow the rear shocks! Nope. We can take my car.” Seeing as Titus wasn’t about to make any sort of comment on Beau’s ass, he conceded the argument before it could even begin and followed the Lyco twins back into the main house and through to the garage.

Which meant they then encountered Isabelle. “Where are you all off to?”

Titus froze up for the second time that day. He didn’t have any kind of explanation in place for where they were going and why. And he wasn’t comfortable lying to someone else’s mother about it, either. 

Fortunately, Beau covered for Titus’ sudden imitation of a deer on the highway. “Grocery run, Ma. I’m outta milk.”

“Okay, dear. Will you pick me up a case of menthols while you’re there?” 

Beau came to a screeching halt, nearly causing both Titus and Danni to run into him. “What happened to your monthly allowance?”

“Oh, I spent it already. There’s a bus trip to the Indian casino next weekend and I bought a ticket.” 

“Ma!” Beau sounded particularly frustrated over that news. “What would your Game-Anon sponsor say about that?”

“Who do you think told me about the trip?” Isabelle replied innocuously, taking a drag off her cigarette.

Titus watched Beau and Danni exchange a look with each other. “Welp, looks like we gotta find Mom a new sponsor again,” Danni muttered under her breath. 

“And what money are you planning to spend at the casino?” Titus could tell Beau was trying very hard to keep a lid on his temper in front of his mother.

“My check hits on Tuesday. I’ll have plenty. And I’ll be sure to hit a big jackpot; I’m overdue for a win.”

“That’s not…!” Beau had to check his tone. Hard. Titus could hear the other man’s teeth grinding as he clenched his jaw to rein in the clear frustration painting his expression. “Ma, that’s not how casinos work and you know it. And we need that money to pay the bills.”

But apparently, he’d crossed some invisible line with his mother. “Tobias Beauregard Black! I will not be spoken to like that in my own house!”

The sound that came out of Beau in that moment made Titus immediately concerned. “Beau, did you just whine?”

“Yup,” Danni confirmed softly. “Just peed himself a little, too.”