The kittens had spent the afternoon playing, sleeping, and eating, while Tristan happily watched them. The mama cat was taking advantage of the decrease in her responsibilities, lazily rolling on the ground and cozying up to Caleb when she wanted some attention. Whatever had upset Tristan the day before was forgotten. They were the picture of domestic bliss.

Early in the evening, Caleb prepared a light dinner and opened a bottle of wine. They were about to sit down to eat when the intercom rang out.

"Are you expecting someone, Baby?" Caleb asked from the kitchen. 

There was no one that Tristan could think of, but it was around the time that the little foreign supermarket closed, and there was every chance that Tibur had brought Millie over to meet the kittens. Tristan buzzed them in without thinking and went to see what was on tonight's menu. When he spotted the wine bottle his body tensed, it couldn't help but bring back memories of Jed. Those 'special' nights that ended with feelings of worthlessness.

Tristan poured himself a glass and gulped it back. Things were different now.

The visitor arrived as Caleb was bringing the salad through to the table.

"What are you doing here?" he asked as soon as he saw him.

Tristan turned to see a tall man with a short beard; his suit jacket slung over one arm as though he'd just completed a turn on the runway. He was smiling at Caleb's careless barb.

"You've stopped answering my calls. It's not like you left me with much of a choice" he said.

Caleb scowled behind his glasses but the newcomer was undeterred.

"It doesn't matter how much you hide, it's never worked. You know I always find you."

Tristan didn't like his familiar tone, or the fact that he'd ignored his presence in the room entirely. There was a stranger in his home and he hadn't bothered to introduce himself. It just didn't sit right.

"Isn't this what Fraser is for?" asked Caleb, "Can't you go bother him with whatever it is you need? We're about to eat."

"Ray's disappeared. Looks like your behavior's finally rubbed off on him... I always said you were a bad influence. Fifteen minutes is all I need; twenty if you don't focus. I'd say that's the least you can give me after all the drama you caused at the shareholder's meeting."

Caleb reluctantly nodded. He was unlikely to leave without a fight.

"Terrace" he said, motioning to the door.

The man smiled and headed outside without a second glance at Tristan.

"Eat if you're hungry, Baby" Caleb told his husband, "I'll try to get rid of him as quickly as possible."

Tristan grabbed hold of his arm. He wanted to ask who he was and what he was doing there, but he didn't have the courage.

"Is... is he allergic to cats?" he asked in place of what he wanted to say.

Caleb shrugged his shoulders. "Doesn't matter" he said, "Maybe he'll leave sooner if he is..."

Tristan poured another glass of wine and took a seat on the couch. It was hard to see them through the window, the lights in the living room were too bright, and he was worried it would be too obvious if he lowered them. Out on the terrace, his husband was talking with the stranger; his stern face did nothing to frighten the outsider, who seemingly took great delight in the furrow of Caleb's brow. Tristan could even make out his irritating laugh.

The situation was frustrating him. He knew they were probably talking business, but the babies were out there and he couldn't go see them. How was he supposed to know if they had enough food? He found himself pacing between the couch and the kitchen; pouring himself a third glass as he tried to fight the uncomfortable feeling he felt in his stomach.

After an eternity of waiting, the two men came back inside.

"I think you should call the little black and white one 'Bruce'" said the stranger, "The way he kept trying to get your attention reminded me what's it like when I'm trying to pin you down for a meeting. I have to say though... seeing you as a cat dad is a side to you I never thought I'd have the chance to see." 

"Are we done here?" asked Caleb.

"I still need the files from the Feng account... or I can stay here all night and work through them if you prefer?" 

Caleb's dark countenance caused the visitor to laugh again. Keen to give him no reason to stay, Caleb went to the home office to retrieve the files from his computer. The stranger took a seat on the couch while he waited.

"Do you work with my husband..?" Tristan asked him.

The stranger scoffed.

"How much do you believe what you're saying?" he asked mysteriously, "Did you really lose your memory? Or is the money worth your silence..?"

The look on Tristan's face gave away too much of what was hidden in his heart.

The man smirked. "It's hard to choose which one of you is more deluded" he said, "I should never have let things get this far, but as always, he was one step ahead. He knew before I did that Jed had planned to bring you here."

"I don't know what you're talking about..." lied Tristan.

"Pretend as much as you like" said the man, "just don't confuse it with reality. You know as well as I do that you don't belong here."

Tristan's fingernails were digging into his palm. He was trying to keep himself together in the face of such brutally accurate accusations.

"My husband is a very protective man" he said, "I'm not sure he'd appreciate whatever it is you're trying to say. Especially if you work for his company... it might be wise not to agitate him."

The stranger burst out laughing at Tristan's veiled threat.

"Work for his company..?" he repeated back to him, "Listen here little queen, while you were fucking up your analyst job I was actually making something of my career. It's not so easy to fire the CFO; especially for something as stupid as upsetting the boss's fake wife."

"Does it make you feel better about yourself?" asked Tristan, in a rare display of integrity, "Saying 'wife' instead of husband?"

"You're focusing on the wrong word..." said the man, "wife or husband, doesn't matter what you want to call yourself. Either way, it's all fake. Sooner or later he'll want something real."

It began to click. Ah, thought Tristan, and you're what's 'real'.

"Husband!" he suddenly cried.

Caleb came running.

"Is everything okay, Baby? Do you want him to wait downstairs?"

"That's a bit much, isn't it?" asked the man with a laugh, "You'd think I'd tried to make a pass at him while you were out of the room!"

"Husband..." said Tristan, his eyes wide and pleading, "Who's Jed..? Your friend mentioned him... and it sounded familiar... but I don't remember meeting anyone here with that name... It's made me feel kind of strange..."

"Get out" said Caleb to their visitor, "Now!"

The man clenched his fists and took a breath; if he told Caleb his 'husband' was only pretending, he'd have to admit to him that he knew the truth about everything. All the secrets he'd uncovered would not be so easily concealed again.

"I was chatting about the Cabi office" he explained to cover himself, "I'm not sure what I've done wrong... and what about the files for the Feng account?"

"I'll email them to you" said Caleb, his eyes never leaving Tristan's worried face, "Now get out."

The man shook his head, amazed that the faking little opportunist would be so bold. From what he'd remembered of his chats with Carl, he was a timid little accessory that Jed had toyed with and thrown away. Whatever money Caleb had given him had obviously gone to his head.

"I'll be in touch then..." he said, pressing the button for the elevator, "since there's still some business left for us to finish."

"Baby..." said Caleb, left alone in the apartment with his husband, "Why don't you come and lie down? It's better not to think when you're all worked up like this. Try to sleep a little and then maybe try eating something. Don't think..."

"Caleb" Tristan looked up at him, staring deeply into his fearful blue eyes, "Before the accident..."

Caleb held his breath.

"Wouldn't you hold me when I was upset..?"

He nodded slowly in reply, scared that if he answered, Tristan would see through his lies.

"Then why not hold me for a while? I want to remember how things were between us..." 

'You don't belong here...' 

Tristan had told himself those words so many times. There was something about hearing it from another person that made him want to challenge them. Why shouldn't he belong? Why should he let himself grow cold on the empty side of the bed? Why should he let that asshole name his babies..? Caleb was willing. What more was he waiting for?

Tristan moved into the center of the bed, giving Caleb the space to wrap his arms around him. It felt comfortable inside his warm embrace. No cast on his arm, no doubt in his mind; he was free to get as close as his courage would allow.

"Husband..." he whispered in the dim light of the bedroom, "Can you tell me about our first time..?"

"Which time, Baby?" Caleb asked him, "The first time we met..?"

"The first time we had sex" said Tristan, his warm body nestled in Caleb's quivering arms, his heart pounding as he dared to feed the lie that was growing between them.

Caleb's breath was hitching behind him.

"The first time... It was something I'd thought about for so long... how it would feel, to make you mine completely. Hearing you call my name in desperate surrender... the touch of your naked skin..."

His heated exhalations were warming the nape of Tristan's neck, his hands gliding across the arms and chest of the man he'd long dreamed of possessing. Tristan could feel his excitement building, the evidence of his desire pushed hard against his butt. 

How was it fake? He could feel how real it was. Tristan smiled to himself before trying to get up.

"Where are you going Baby?" Caleb asked him, "Did I make you uncomfortable? We can put a pillow between us if it's bothering you."

"It's not that" Tristan admitted shyly, "It's just... I mean, you want to... don't you?"

Caleb most certainly did.

"Then where are you going?"

"To the bathroom" said Tristan blushing, "to get ready for you..."

Caleb's hand grabbed violently at the sheets while the other grabbed hold of Tristan, pulling him onto the bed and into his fervent kiss. His tongue sought to dominate his mouth, his fingers claiming his dark, wavy hair, while his legs hooked his body closer. Not a second would he allow for them to part. Every step, every moment, Caleb would savor them all.

"But I need to..." Tristan managed breathlessly.

There was no room for such a ridiculous suggestion. Caleb's hand slid inside Tristan's pyjama pants, kneading Tristan's cock between his fingers and thumb. Such attentions were so rarely lavished, the unexpected stimulation was overwhelming his senses. As the constant ministrations clouded Tristan's mind, Caleb's other hand worked quickly; transferring the secreted substance from the tip of Tristan's cock to the coveted entrance between his buttocks. 

 Caleb's finger pushed valiantly onwards as he kissed, stroked, and rubbed without mercy.

"Too much..." said Tristan, "Too much..!"

Caleb slowed his pace, carefully watching Tristan's reactions as he played with the limits of his body. As though learning its secrets, Caleb engraved each one into his heart. This speed. This touch... this place...

He opened the drawer to the beside cabinet; everything long since prepared for the night things would change between them. His strong and flexible fingers were primed, the door slowly opening with each deliberate push they made.

Tristan rolled onto his side, ready to lie face down on the bed.

"Where are you going, Baby?" asked Caleb, upset he could no longer see his face.

"So you can... you know..." he said, "From behind..."

Caleb bit his ear, trailing his tongue along his neck as he held him tighter.

"You've forgotten, Baby" he said, "I like to watch..." 

Tristan's eyes widened as Caleb removed the last of his clothes and hoisted him onto his lap. 

"That's why..." he said, pulling him close as he kissed his lips, "you always ride me..."