cracks and other problems

Tony found Maxxie hugging the cat when he came home. The old man had just finished up with the locks. Actually, Tony was rather pleased. But Maxxie looked a bit out of wits.

"Whats the matter?" Tony winced.

"Do you know how long I've had to look at that butt-crack?" Maxxie's swollen expression left Tony bursting in laughter.

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Its disgusting." Maxxie scowled as he rubbed the cat's head.

"You're sure that's it?"

"And you, you, go off and, we'll be in jail, won't we?" Maxxie turned away from the old man's back.

Tony looked at the butt-crack. A far cry from sexiness indeed, but he tried to keep from laughing as he signed the piece of paper. His name.

"What are you doing?" Maxxie saw what he'd done. "Giving yourself away, now are you?"

At-least the locks were done.

"I did a little digging. And I found out the owner who so happens to be our boss at the bistro owns this building. He's glad we're gonna take this place."

"This place? What the fuck do you mean?" Maxxie looked as if they'd bit off more than they could chew.

"Flipping."

"Flipping?" Maxxie glared at him as if he were off his rocker.

"Yeah, that's what they call it. We flip these apartments, get them up to code. Free living space for us." He beamed.

"Yeah, and how ya gonna do that Tone?" Maxxie was Mr. Bright eyes now.

"I'll think of something. Its this challenge, you know. My first real grownup challenge." He was confident enough.

"Meantime?" There was a slight pucker to Maxxie's bottom lip that Tony couldn't resist.

"Meantime, don't you have an audition?" Tony looked at him seriously.

"I need a rest." Maxxie let the cat go then.

"And do I get to be a part of that or are you just going to fall asleep all on your own?" Tony waited for some sort of come on line.

"What?"

"You heard from someone, didn't you?"

"What makes you think that?" Maxxie winced.

"It was Georgie. Good old faithful Georgie. Wasn't it?" Tony came closer to Maxxie.

Maxxie sucked in a breath as if he didn't want to talk about it.

"Why let him bother you? Its over. Its so over with him. You've moved on with me. And its fantastic. Its bloody fantastic, and you know it!" Tony came over Maxxie. So close, he almost kissed him. Almost. But he gave him room then as if he'd have to figure this out on his own. Evidently.

"Yeah, as long as everything is your way." Maxxie looked up at him then.

"What?" Tony winced, shaking his head. "My way?" He turned away wondering what had soured. Had one little text from Georgie changed everything? What did he want?

Maxxie pulled Tony back, and kissed him hard then. He meant it too. Aw, there was that spunk Tony wanted.