"Kristen? I'm outside Thomas' home now, and I'm safe. I'll see you in a couple of days." Ethan hung up the phone as he left a message for his sister.

The last couple of days Ethan and Thomas kept exchanging text messages up until Ethan was on the plane. Ethan was given very clear directions on how to get to his Thomas' apartment, and now Ethan stood outside the door as he was about to knock.

Ethan was glad that the friendship between them was left unchanged ever since Thomas was no longer his bodyguard. There was a sparkle of joy as Ethan was happy to be reunited with his friend.

He was worried that Thomas wouldn't like him anymore, and found him intolerable since he was no longer being paid to be by his side. There was a sense of doubt for Ethan, because he felt self-conscious that it was a lot more one sided.

Knocking on the door, Ethan stood patiently as he was waiting for a while. Ethan eventually heard the sound of footsteps from the other side of the door.

The door was opened by Thomas as he was wearing a matching smile after being reunited with his friend in the flesh.

"Ethan!" Thomas greeted him enthusiastically. "I was getting worried because you were meant to arrive hours ago."

Ethan was let inside the apartment as he brought his suitcase in. "My plane got delayed and we weren't allowed to leave it. By the time I left the airport, I thought I should just get a taxi straight here."

Thomas looked to the side of them and saw how it was almost midnight. He brought Ethan further into his apartment as he tried to welcome him.

"You hungry?" Thomas asked as he was being a good host to Ethan. "How about a drink?"

Ethan declined everything as he sat down on the empty couch. Thomas joined him as he then readjusted his singlet to try and cover his briefs.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you up?" Ethan apologised. "I thought about just getting a hotel because it was so late... and now that I see the time I don't know why I didn't."

"Because I invited you here, and I'm glad you didn't second guess yourself." Thomas rubbed the back of his own neck as he then confessed, "I was kind of doing the opposite of sleeping..."

Ethan noticed how Thomas was being slightly awkward. "Oh?"

"Thomas, are you coming back to bed?!"

Ethan turned his head towards the third voice that was shouting from across the apartment. He became distracted from his thoughts as he then processed the implication behind the unknown man's question.

Xavier was walking out of Thomas' room with just a pillow covering his groin. He lightly stepped out of his room as he called out for Thomas. "Why'd you go when things were just about to get hot?"

Xavier was frozen on the spot once he saw the guest in their apartment. Thomas was embarrassed that Xavier was shamelessly strutting into the room. And Ethan was baffled upon seeing a naked man standing right in front of him.

Thomas quickly covered Ethan's eyes with his hands to save them all from embarrassment. He was multitasking as he told Xavier to quickly put some clothes on.

"That's what I was about to do..." Thomas tried to laugh off the situation as he kept his hands over Ethan's eyes until Xavier disappeared.

Ethan nervously chuckled as he felt awkward interrupting the pair. "So I see you took my advice about wearing a singlet to get laid."

Thomas removed his hands away from Ethan's innocent eyes as he awkwardly coughed again. "Funnily enough, that's what I was wearing before we first had sex."

Ethan was completely unaware that Thomas was interested in men. It was a new fact that he learnt about his friend, "Are you gay?"

"Very much so." Thomas told him matter of factly.

"Huh..." Ethan was thinking for a while as he tried to fill the silence in the room. "I didn't think you were the gay type."

Thomas leaned away from Ethan as he warily looked at the COO as if he suddenly grew devil horns. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know." Ethan didn't mean to offend Thomas as he tried to backtrack, "You're just so... I don't know! I just never pictured you with men."

Thomas moved back into a normal sitting position as he found it entertaining that Ethan was flustered. The bodyguard knew that Ethan wasn't being malicious or was intending to be rude, so he pitied the man in front of him. "Well I am. For a looooong time to."

Ethan smiled at Thomas as he tried to convey that he had no issues with Thomas' sexuality. It was just a shock because he never expected it, but it didn't change how he saw Thomas - he was still a close friend of his.

"So... Do you fancy me then?" Ethan joked as he wiggled his eyebrows at the bodyguard.

Thomas was dumbfounded as he stared blankly at Ethan. "Don't tell me your one of those straight guys who think that their gay friends are attracted to them..."

"I was hoping you would boost my ego a little since I'm in a dry spell," Ethan laughed. "Tell me I'm hot Tommy, and I'll drop it!"

Xavier walked into the room wearing a t-shirt and shorts. His presence stopped Ethan from getting an answer as Thomas then introduced them to each other, "Xavier, this is Ethan. Ethan, this is Xavier."

"Nice to meet you Xavier." Ethan gestured for Xavier to join them in the living room. He directly addressed Xavier as he tried to apologise for disturbing their night, "I'm sorry for messing up you and your boyfriend's sex life."

Thomas and Xavier looked at each other funnily as they then began to laugh together. Ethan felt like he was missing out on a joke because he didn't understand what was sending them into a laughing fit. 

"Xavier is just my friend and roommate." Thomas told Ethan, "We're not a couple."

Xavier backed Thomas' statement as he added, "We've only been friends with benefits for a couple of months now."

Ethan was nodding his head as he began to understand the type of relationship the two of them had. "But you guys are super close, right?"

Thomas was rocking his head side to side as he tried to summarise the type of relationship he had with Xavier. "Not really. We're definitely friends, and we both work as bodyguards together. But we kind of like doing our own thing-"

"And each other." Ethan slipped in as an accidental smirk came out.

Xavier snickered as a result, while Thomas just rolled his eyes at Ethan's joke. "True."

Ethan was nonchalant as he simply shrugged his shoulders. He put his hand on Thomas' shoulder as he showed the bodyguard that he had no issues with anything. "Whatever you do in your free time is your own business Tommy."

Thomas looked at the clock on the wall as it was now getting really late. Thomas was going into the office in the morning, so he wanted to get some much needed rest.

"Everyone, I think we should go to bed now." Thomas instructed, "Xavier, you go sleep in your own room. And Ethan I'll show you where you'll be sleeping."

Xavier got up from the chair as he listened to Thomas. "Good night Ethan. Nighty night Tommy."

Thomas was watching Xavier rush out the room with laughter as he called out to his roommate. "Don't call me that you jerk!" Thomas then turned back to Ethan as he whispered to him, "He also knows I hate it."

Ethan picked up his suitcase as he was intending to take it with him. "Where do I sleep?"

Thomas stood up from the couch as he led the way for Ethan. They walked past the bathroom, Xavier closing his bedroom door, and stopped in front of the only other bedroom.

Thomas took Ethan to his bedroom as he was giving up his bed for Ethan. "You can sleep in here and I'll take the couch."

Because Thomas didn't mention how there were only so few bedrooms, Ethan didn't know that he should have put his foot down to stay in a hotel - there just wasn't a lot of space in the cramped apartment.

Ethan didn't realise that his presence would force Thomas out of his own room, and into the living room. He had no intention to do so as he tried to reverse the situation by walking back into the living room. "I'm the guest so I should sleep on the couch."

"Don't be stupid, I insist." Thomas was refusing to negotiate as he pushed Ethan down to sit on his bed. "I've got to keep the guest comfortable, and the couch certainly won't help."

Ethan had a string of apologies ready to leave his mouth, because he thought that he was causing a lot of problems for Thomas tonight. He was stealing his bed, he was making him sleep on an uncomfortable couch, and he also just cockblocked him.

Thomas was smiling as he tilted his head at Ethan. Thomas knew what Ethan was thinking, and he stopped Ethan's train of thoughts. "If I hear another apology from you, then I'll put you in a chokehold so I can tuck you in bed myself."

Ethan already knew he was no match for Thomas. He saw that the bodyguard had a slightly serious expression underneath the soft smile, so Ethan backed down from trying to sleep on the couch.

Thomas began to change the sheets for Ethan so that he could get a comfortable night's sleep. Ethan joined Thomas as they were redoing all of the blankets and pillows too.

Thomas picked up all of the old sheets and carried them under his arms. He was standing by the door as Ethan was unpacking his things.

"You know where the bathroom is, so help yourself to anything you need in there." Thomas informed him as he tried his best to make Ethan comfortable. "And I cleared out one of the drawers for you, so you can put some of your things in there instead of leaving them in your bag."

Ethan continued to feel overwhelmed by Thomas' generosity, kindness, and thoughtfulness. The man in front of him was going out of his way to make Ethan feel at home, and Ethan was at a loss of words to show his appreciation for Thomas.

Ethan was being sincere when he thanked Thomas for all of his help, "I really appreciate everything you're doing for me. I can't thank you enough."

"What can I do to stop you thanking me?" Thomas wholeheartedly laughed. "Just get some sleep Ethan. I'll listen to you describing how the sheets have a terrible thread count in the morning."

Ethan was smirking at the playful and considerate bodyguard. "Thanks again for everything. Good night Tommy."

Thomas smiled back at Ethan as he began to close the door behind him. "Sweet dreams Ethan."

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Author's Note: Thanks for all your support and comments from the last chapter everyone. I really appreciate all the thoughtful comments and messages I've been receiving lately.