"You know I can't stay here."
☆

"Dexter?"

"You took your time!" Dexter smirks at the surprised face Jack had on him. He stands up a fraction straighter from leaning on the doorframe.

"Why are you here?" Jack asks, too afraid to take a step closer. This seemed too easy. Jack thought he would have to do all the hard work.

"So you want me to go?" Dexter half heartedly points ahead of him, past Jack.

"I didn't say that." Jack begins. "Just, what you said earlier. I wasn't expecting to see you. I thought you were done with me." Jack looks down, a little saddened by his own words. Was he expecting too much from Dexter's appearance? Perhaps this was just a confirmation of what had already been said.

"I'm still pissed off that you're leaving Jack, but we still have the week.' Dexter takes a step forward and reaching out, he takes Jack's hand in his. "I will just have to make the most of you being here, you never know, you may decide to stay."

Jack looks at the way Dexter runs a thumb over his knuckles with affection. "You know I can't stay here. My work, my home is in L.A now. But it doesn't mean I..."

"I know." Dexter interrupts. He places a hand under Jack's chin, making him look back up at him and taking a step forwards, he leans in close to Jack's ear. "I'm sorry." He whispers as quietly as a mouse.

"Two apologies over one weekend. What has come over you?" Jack says, with a voice as deep and as smooth as the ocean.

"Hopefully you." Dexters responds with a grin as their eyes make contact.

Jack lets a chuckle leave his lips. "Maybe, but we need to talk about this, about you and me.'

"Ah! Why do you have to spoil it? Isn't me coming back and saying sorry enough?" Dexter whines.

"Let's just get inside yeah." Jack unlocks and opens the door and heads in, with Dexter following. "Have you eaten?" Jack asks as he looks at Dexter with wonder.

"I'm not hungry." Dexter says dismissively and he once again tries to get close to Jack. Jack sees it coming and takes a step back. "Let's talk." He says, turning away from Dexter to head for the couch.

Dexter again reluctantly follows. It wasn't that he was adverse to talking, but he would have rather let his body take the lead, but it seemed Jack wanted the more conventional approach.

As they settle on the leather couch, Jack makes the decision to start. It felt like the words had been on the tip of his tongue since Dexter had walked out. He felt more than ready to shed them. "Dex, all this, from the moment I called your agency and you showed up at my door, it wasn't planned. I wasn't looking for you for revenge, or closure or anything like that..."

"I know." Dexter interrupts, but becomes unsure of how to follow up the words. He looks down on himself, swallowing hard, never one for being lost for something to say. Usually some meaningless joke or insult, making light of a situation to mask his real feelings, to avoid speaking the truth. What he felt inside, in his heart.

He then sees a hand enter his view, the fingers wrapping around his own. Dexter looks up to see Jack smiling at him. "Tell me Dex, be honest with me. Why are you here right now?

Dexter closes his eyes and takes in a deep breath. He had been naked in front of another more times than he had eaten fried chicken, but right in the moment, he hadn't felt more exposed. "Ok" he says very decisively as he opens his eyes and looks up at Jack, wide eyed with anticipation. "You wanna know why I am sitting here right now?"

Jack nods even so slightly, his gaze not wavering as he readies himself for whatever Dexter may say. He was half expecting something crude, or amusing to lighten the intense mood. But the last thing Jack expects to hear leave the mouth of Dexter Chan is...

"I love you..."