"This is one hell of a list." Tim comments as he, Adam and Chris walk into the hardware store.

"As you said, several of the houses need a lot of repairs." Chris says as they walk up to the counter. "And that's not counting the tools we'll need."

"I just hope we have enough money." Tim sighs as he runs a hand through his hair.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that with all that Rob has given you." Chris chuckles.

"But you also need to remember that we're renting vehicles, motel rooms, we gotta eat, we'll need furniture and groceries once we get the houses finished." Tim says quietly as the employee walks up to the counter.

"How may I help you today?" The employee smiles.

"We're gonna need a few things." Chris smiles as he hands the man the list.

"A few things?" Tim snickers as Adam takes him by the hand causing him to look around at his lover.

"Can we go pick out some paint for our house?" Adam smiles sweetly.

"You guys go ahead. I'll go pick up the tools we need." Chris says.

Adam nods and begins to pull Tim toward the paint department.

"D*mn." Tim says as they stare at the display with all the colors they offer. "Who would have thought there would be so many shades of blue."

"Maybe this is gonna be harder than I thought." Adam chuckles.

Tim did a quick scan of Adam's thoughts in order to find out what colors he was wanting to paint each room. Yeah, he was cheating but, as always, his lover's happiness was his top priority.

"What do you think of blue for the living room?" Tim asks as he slips on his glasses and reaches for the blue sampler.

"Really? That's what I was thinking." Adam smiles and then the realization hits him.

"Really? Amazing how we think alike." Tim says with a smirk as he looks over the different shades.

"You did it again." Adam shakes his head.

"What? And maybe green for the bedroom?" Tim smiles.

"Stop." Adam laughs.

"Beige for the kitchen." Tim adds with a chuckle.

"Quit it! You're just showing out now." Adam laughs even harder. He thought he would throw Tim a curveball and think of an odd color for the bathroom to prove his point.

Tim lowers the sampler he had been looking at and slowly turns his head toward the blonde.

"No pink bathroom. That's where I draw the line." Tim says.

"I knew it!!!" Adam laughs loudly then covers his mouth.

"Shhhh." Tim giggles as he tries to quieten his boyfriend as other customers turn to look at them.

It took them a while but they finally decided on a shade of blue that they both liked. And they went for a darker green for the bedroom. A hunter green. After placing their paint order, they went to get rollers, brushes and other needed things.

"You guys ready yet?" Chris asks as he walks up to where Tim and Adam were picking out the things they would need.

"Just about it." Tim nods.

"They'll be delivering the lumber and stuff about one o'clock." Chris says.

"Okay, let's go pay for this sh*t and get out of here." Tim says.

After leaving the hardware store, they swing by a Wendy's to get everyone something to eat. Arriving back at the property, they find the group hard at work tearing up floors, removing broken windows or just cleaning up around their homes.

"I don't know about this." Avi says as he comes out of the caboose. He was drenched in sweat. "That thing is like an oven."

"That doesn't surprise me. There's hardly, if any, insulation to keep the heat out." Chris says. "Plus, it being an all-metal structure, it's pretty much like a microwave."

"Well, you could always shack up with Jenika." Tim chuckles. "It's not like you've never slept together."

"But I like my caboose." Avi pouts.

"I could say something about that comment. But I won't." Tim laughs as he and Adam get the food from the car. "YO!! ANYONE HUNGRY!!" Tim yells.

"Thank, God. I was getting weak." Chance says as he and Sami run out of their house.

"So, did y'all get everything ordered?" Rob asks as he shoves some fries into his mouth.

"Yep, they'll be delivering it at one." Chris nods.

They gather the food and head for the shade to eat.

"AHHHHHH!!" Jenika screams as she runs out of her small house, waving her arms above her head.

"WHAT THE HELL, JENIKA!!" Tim yells at her as he tries to steady the tray of drinks that he almost drop.

"SNAKE!! SNAKE!!" She screams as she runs toward them, pointing back toward her house.

Everyone automatically looks at Tim and Adam.

"What?" Tim asks as he noticed all eyes were on them.

"Well, you are the mayor." Austin replies as he rubs the back of his neck.

"That doesn't make me an exterminator. But ... But I'll go check it out." Tim says with an unsure nod.

He walks over to his car and reaches under the seat to get the machete he had put there when they had gone to town.

He tries to take a calming breath as he walks toward the small bordello. Adam grabs his machete too then runs to catch up with his lover. They stop at the front door and cautiously peeks in. All seemed quiet. They give each other a nervous glance. 

"Where did you see it?" Tim asks over his shoulder.

"It's under that old cot in that back room." Jenika answers as she holds tightly to Avi's arm.

Tim swallows hard before slowly stepping inside. His heart was beating out of his chest. He hated snakes with a passion. It was as if he was having to face the demon dogs all over again.

"You stay there." Tim tells Adam as the blonde follows him inside. "Just because she saw it under the cot doesn't mean it's still there. Keep your eyes and ears open. If you hear a rattle, tell me."

Adam nods as his eyes scan the small front room.

"Please be careful." Adam says quietly as Tim slowly walks to the back room.

Keeping a safe distance from the cot, he reaches his foot out to kick the cot.

"Thank God, I have long legs." Tim chuckles nervously before kicking the cot. He quickly steps back to listen.

"I don't hear anything." Adam whispers as he looks around. His eyes wide with fear. "Maybe it's not under there anymore."

Tim slowly starts to get down on his hands and knees beside the ragged cot.

"Oh, my God. Timmmm." Adam whimpers as he covers his eyes. He definitely didn't want to see the love of his life being bitten in the face by a rattlesnake.

As Tim peeks under the cot, he releases the breath he had been holding and chuckles slightly to himself.

"Two things." Tim says as he reaches under the bed with his machete. "Was this the snake she saw?" He pulls out a long piece of an old leather strap. "Orrrr, was it this?" He asks as he pulls out the skin that a rattlesnake had shed.

"Holy crap." Adam says as he walks over and stoops down next to the brunette to observe the skin.

"Either way, I'm calling a d*mn exterminator. No telling what is slithering around in these walls and attics." Tim says.

*********

Thanks for being patient while I recuperated from being sick all week. Whatever I had really knocked me on my ass.

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