Polo and Dreameh's VERY short RP. For real this time. (Mature)

Dane flinched slightly at the force of Sloan's arm shoving his own down to his sides, but he refused to give in so quickly. No way was he going to be pushed around again just because Sloan was in a bad mood. He was sick if being the weak one! He'd fought the same battles that Sloan had, so he had the right to be angry too!
"You don't know what it's like!" Sloan roared, grabbing Dane's collar and yanking hi forwards with such force Dane's head snapped backwards for a moment. He growled in response, wrapping his strong hands around Sloan's clenched fists in attempt to force him to let go, but to no avail. "You don't know what I'm going through, so don't even try- Don't you even f*cking try to understand!"
Dane was pushed back suddenly, and he had to stagger a few steps to catch his balance. He almost thought about trying to grab Sloan again, but then common sense kicked in, and he remained frozen where he stood.
"Don't you stand there in front of me like a f*cking saint and tell me how to feel and what to do. You don't have a clue-... What it's like to be me!" Eyes blazing, Dane shoved Sloan's hand away when he felt the sharp pain in his chest where the man had poked it, and he rubbed it protectively. His fists shook with rage, and his eyes were slightly bloodshot with angry tears, but he remained silent for the entire tongue-lashing he received.
"What I 'need' is not to calm the f*ck down. What I need right now is a smoke, a big old glass of vokda, and something to punch the shit out of."
Yeah, Dane thought bitterly. Like another brick wall.
By the time Sloan was finished yelling, tears were pouring down Dane's cheeks. But, unlike before, he didn't crumble. Now, he'd finally come to the realisation that he had enough of a right to be angry as Sloan did. He'd suffered the same amount of pain, perhaps more so in the weeks that Sloan had been comatose. Not only this, but Sloan's anger was becoming contageous, to the point that Dane honestly didn't know what to do with himself. He wanted so desperately for his boyfriend to see... To realise that he had feelings, too. But in the state he was in, Sloan wasn't ready to listen yet.
Dane's red eyes flicked down to the hand that was stretched out to him impatiently. Sloan wanted him to give him the keys to the Jeep.
"Just give me the keys, and I'll go. I'll be back when I'm... Thinking straight..."
"Yeah," Dane replied quietly, exhaling a bitter chuckle. "When you've bled yourself dry, you mean." He murmured, nodding to Sloan's bandaged wrist. He wasn't stupid, he knew what Sloan would do. He'd run away, spend all his money on alcohol, get himself beaten up a few times - perhaps, he'd even hook up with Tony again! That bastard would happily fly over from America to see him again, right? And he'd end up in some street corner bleeding to death after he'd hacked away at his wrist until he'd hit a vein or artery, drowning in his own blood and vomit.
Dane hissed in a breath. He pushed the gory image to the back of his mind.
"Maybe you're right..." He murmured quietly, still staring at Sloan's outstretched hand. "I don't know how you feel right now. I can't relate to what you're going through, either. But... Hell, Sloan, you're not the only one who's been suffering. Alright? You can look at me like that all you like, take all you want from me and throw it back in my face. You've forgotten a few things, and that sucks. But at least you're f*cking alive!"
He exhaled a tremoring breath and turned away, raking his hand through his hair, smearing his tears over his brow as he did so. It took him a while to recover from this, and even longer to find the bravery to try and speak again. His voice shook with emotion, but once he'd started, he soon managed to continue.
"I've nearly lost you many times, but I spent weeks whilst you were comatose thinking I'd killed you!" He bellowed, jabbing himself in the chest as if to emphasise his point. "Yes, Sloan. I was the one who called you whilst you were driving, and I was the one who listened to you crashing the car. The doctors..." He chuckled bitterly. "The Doctors wanted to turn off your life support. Do you even realise how terrifying that was? They wanted my permission to let you die. But I said no. I told them what you were like and they let it wait." He sighed, keeping his back to Sloan, and looked miserably down at his feet. "I spent days on end not eating, because I was making myself physically sick. Not only at the thought of losing you, but because if you died... That would have made me your murderer." He shot Sloan a firm glare over his shoulder, then wiped his nose with his sleeve.
"Whether you recover from this or not, I'll never forgive myself. But if I let you go now to-... To throw your life around as you please on the off chance that you'll ever come back..." He swallowed. "I... I just couldn't live in a world where you don't exist."
The truth of this shocked him so much that he had to lean against a wall to keep the sobs shaking his shoulder from having him crumble to his knees. He'd never said or thought it before that moment, but now it was out, he realised how true the words really were.
He sounded just like Sloan.
"If keeping you here means you'll end up doing something you'll regret, if it means punching me, then go right ahead." He turned round finally, revealing his hot, tear-stained face, and he opened his arms out shakily. "But I don't trust you to look after yourself right now. If saying 'no' will put me in danger, then screw it. I'll say no."

The moment that Dane got angry, Sloan suddenly found himself so taken aback that he almost began to calm down. His arm fell back to his side, and he shifted away from his boyfriend, watching in a contrite fashion while Dane began viciously lecturing him.
It killed him to see his boyfriend in such a state, and when Dane began shouting through tears about how difficult this whole thing had been for him, Sloan was suddenly forced to see his accident from an entirely new perspective... Suddenly, he realized how selfish he was being. All the time, all he had been thinking about was how hard this was for him. It had never even occurred to him that Dane was the one waiting, spending each day praying that Sloan would still be alive the next.
Dane was right. He had suffered just as much; probably more than Sloan had.
This sudden epiphany banished his anger, and as his emotions began to calm again, Sloan took a tentative step forward, reaching out to Dane even as the man raged furiously at him.
"I've nearly lost you many times," Dane shouted angrily, "But I spent weeks whilst you were comatose thinking I'd killed you!" Sloan's eyes widened. "Yes, Sloan. I was the one who called you whilst you were driving, and I was the one who listened to you crashing the car."
He bit his lip when he heard these words, looking away from the raw emotion in Dane's teary gaze. He remembered that... He remembered thinking as the car toppled over into the ditch, 'Now poor Dane will have to worry about me again'. That had been the worst part of all of it... How could he even have forgotten that?
He stared at his feet in silent shame while Dane went on, explaining what he had gone through trying to fight for Sloan's life, and how he had suffered in the process. Sloan soon realized that not only did he owe his boyfriend an apology; he owed him one hell of a 'thank you', too...
"Dane-" He interjected softly, reaching out to his boyfriend in an attempt to stop him, but Dane was having none of it.
"I spent days on end not eating," he went on, undeterred, "Because I was making myself physically sick. Not only at the thought of losing you, but because if you died... That would have made me your murderer."
His eyes widened, and he could only stare in shock when his boyfriend turned to face him, shooting a horrible glare.
"Dane..." He tried again, "You know I'd never..." But he trailed off, because apparently, Dane was still not done.
"Whether you recover from this or not, I'll never forgive myself. But if I let you go now to-... To throw your life around as you please on the off chance that you'll ever come back... I... I just couldn't live in a world where you don't exist."
These words shocked Sloan completely, and when he froze up in response, he saw Dane react similarly, turning away from the harsh truth that his words brought. Sloan knew that feeling... It was scary to realize how much power another person could have over your life, just by being a part of it. Hell, it was scary for him just knowing that Dane felt that way... But somehow, he felt like he had needed to know.
He remembered now; it didn't matter how much he couldn't do just yes, because he would always be good for something: He could always keep Dane's mind at rest. Just by being there, just by surviving, he could make the most important person in his life happy... What more important goal was there than that?
"Dane," He murmured, taking a gentle step toward his crying boyfriend as he crumpled into the wall.
"If keeping you here means you'll end up doing something you'll regret," Dane continued shakily, still not ready to hear Sloan's objections, "If it means punching me, then go right ahead. But I don't trust you to look after yourself right now. If saying 'no' will put me in danger, then screw it. I'll say no."
This time Sloan waited patiently, holding his silence, to see that Dane was really finished. Although he had been trying to speak for ages, now that he had the chance, he didn't feel the need to say a word. He just opened his arms, stepped forward, and wrapped Dane in a warm embrace, clutching him lovingly close to his chest.
"Ssssh..." He murmured, stroking the back of his boyfriend's head gently, "Dane, no matter how angry I get, I could never punch you." He shook his head, and squeezed his boyfriend tighter still, turning to press his cheek firmly against the back of Dane's head. "Thank you." Sloan murmured quietly, "I don't like to see you this upset, but I needed it. I was being selfish and closed-minded... I didn't even try to see things from your side, and I'm ashamed of that. I was so caught up in how hard this was for me that I forgot about the most important thing..." He paused, setting Dane at an arm's length and gripping his face firmly between rough hands so he could gaze intensely into his eyes, "You."
The moment seemed to last an eternity, but at last Sloan released Dane, and stepped back with a deep breath.
"I'm sorry I freaked out so badly... I must have seemed a little psycho-murder-suicidey there." He chuckled weakly, "I guess I've been holding that one in for a long time." Another deep breath, then he sighed heavily, and muttered with a shaky laugh, "God, that was intense."
There was another long pause, and Sloan scratched his head awkwardly before turning back to Dane, and asking with a slightly embarrassed smile, "Can we put this behind us, d'you think? I promise, I... I'll try harder now. I hate seeing you like this..." He reached out to wipe the tears tenderly away from Dane's cheeks, "So I'll... Um..." He trailed off, seemingly at a loss for things to promise. He stood there a while, looking vaguely confused, then just shook it off, and murmured instead, "I'm really sorry, Dane. I've not been myself today, and I let this get out of hand..." He took a deep breath, and promised earnestly, "I will find myself again. I'll be back to normal soon... I- I hope..."

When Dane fist felt contact he flinched away at the bizarre likelihood that Sloan really was going to punch him, but when he realised Sloan's touch was as gentle as he'd wanted, e sniffed weakly and let himself be guided into Sloan's embrace, throwing away the rest of his dignity. It was like a magnet was stuck to both their chests; they were naturally drawn to each other. But it was more than that. The more Dane spent with his boyfriend the more he feared for the tie when they'd really leave each other's side. Whether that was in a few months, years, or even decades, he feared for it. He couldn't help it.. It was like he had a fear of losing people close to him He guessed this was why he didn't have too many friends nowadays... Human ones anyway. His relationships were too intense for some people.
The shushing and cooing in his ear did naught but make him cry further, but the teas were more of relief now than anything else. He was just glad that the truth had worked, otherwise, if Sloan had still wanted to leave then, Dane wasn't sure what he'd have done. He couldn't lose his boyfriend again. He just couldn't.
I couldn't live in a world where you don't exist.
He shuddered as the intensity of the words still taunted him from deep within, but his trembling body in Sloan's arms somehow calmed him down. Sloan wasn't angry anymore. He wouldn't have hugged Dane if he was.
It worked...
"Dane, no matter how angry I get, I could never punch you."
He shuddered again at this. Honestly, the thought of the man he loved punching him for no reason was terrifying, but he'd meant it when he said he'd take the punches if it meant not losing the man again.
"Thank you. I don't like to see you this upset, but I needed it. I was being selfish and closed-minded... I didn't even try to see things from your side, and I'm ashamed of that. I was so caught up in how hard this was for me that I forgot about the most important thing..."
Dane looked into his eyes with his own swollen, sore pair. "W-what's that?" He murmured weakly.
"You."
"Oh." Dane replied, attempting a weak smile as his cheeks flushed burgundy. "I... I knew that."
Eventually he was released, and Dane attempted to make himself look a tad more presentable. Unfortunately the breakdown had weakened him, and he felt himself shivering at the slightest breeze and had to yank his jacket tighter around him to keep his body warmth together. He'd hoped Sloan would hug him again, but when Sloan started blabbing awkwardly Dane just stood back and listened half-heartedly to what he had to say.
After a while, Dane felt a tiny smile tug on his lips again.
"I'm really sorry, Dane. I've not been myself today, and I let this get out of hand... I will find myself again. I'll be back to normal soon... I- I hope..."
Dane just nodded, and fell back into Sloan's arms again. He didn't really care what was said anymore, just as long as Sloan would let him hug him again. "Just... Keep being my Sloany." He murmured, his words muffled through Sloan's shirt. "As long as you try to do that, I'll be happy."
With a big sigh he pulled away, dabbing away the tears Sloan's thumb didn't catch and laughed awkawrdly at himself. He'd not cried like that in a long time, and it was tiring.
"I don't know about you..." He murmured. "But I would kill for a cup of tea right now." He chuckled, then wiped his nose again with his sleeve and took Sloan's hand, lacing the fingers together, and brought it gently to his lips.
"Come on. We can come back and ride for a bit later, if you're still up for it." He smiled slightly. "But I think I need a lie down after all this. You can join me if you want."

Sloan closed his arms automatically around his boyfriend again, and held him reassuringly while he murmured, "Just... Keep being my Sloany. As long as you try to do that, I'll be happy." He sighed heavily, and chuckled under his breath, "Is that all?"
Truth be told, that was a pretty tall order. But he was trying; he really was trying.
It was only with reluctance that Sloan finally released Dane, and he frowned guiltily as he watched his boyfriend wipe the tears from his face. He had caused that... And he was not proud.
"I don't know about you... But I would kill for a cup of tea right now." Dane chuckled, taking Sloan's hand in his and bringing it to his lips. Sloan looked up at him, expression softening fondly, and just nodded in response.
"Come on. We can come back and ride for a bit later, if you're still up for it. But I think I need a lie down after all this. You can join me if you want."
"Okay." He replied, managing a small smile, "That sounds good."
He slipped an arm over Dane's shoulders as they walked back to the house, more keen than ever to show his boyfriend how much he loved him after that shameful display earlier.
"Hey, Dane?" He murmured softly, pecking the man gently on the earlobe, "I'm still really sorry... I was acting like a child." He paused at the door, stopping his boyfriend, and said solemnly, "It's not okay. I was acting like a monster." He took a deep breath, then gave Dane one more hug and shooed him into the house, closing the door behind him.
"I'd love to offer to help with the tea..." He said, ambling into the kitchen and perching himself unhelpfully on the kitchen counter, "But I probably wouldn't be able to get much done without breaking shit anyway, so..." He shrugged, warning himself not to get moody again. He would regain proper use of his hands soon, he was sure.
"Hey, Dane?" He mumbled, casually watching his boyfriend go about making the tea, "I love you, mate. Forever. You know that, right?"

Dane felt himself leaning into Sloan's tall figure when he was pulled into the man's embrace, which he welcomed gladly. Sloan was more clingy now than usual, but in all fairness, Dane wanted nothing less than to sit down and cuddle with the man for eternity. After his semi-breakdown a few moments earlier, he was ready for a sleep.
"Hey, Dane?"
"Hm?" Dane replied half-heartedly, already reaching out for the door handle. He felt lips tickling his earlobe and an amusingly feminine giggle escaped his lips without consent. He'd missed that feeling.
"I'm still really sorry... I was acting like a child." Dane shook his head, already preparing to deny Sloan's comment. He'd not been acting like a child, he couldn't help it, it was okay now...
"It's not okay," Sloan murmured, as if he'd read Dane's thoughts. "I was acting like a monster." Dane wanted to disagree with him, but Sloan was evidently having none of it, and instead give Dane a quick hug and urged him into the house, closing the door behind him.
With a sigh, Dane made a bee line for the kitchen and flicked the kettle on, preparing a cup of tea for them both with extra sugar for himself. Since he felt very much as rotten as a woman on her period, he was ready to scoff every sugary treat in the house well on into the night, and he didn't even care how his body turned out after it all. He knew he was skinnier than before, and any weight he'd put on now certainly wouldn't be muscle. Not that he cared.
"I'd love to offer to help with the tea... But I probably wouldn't be able to get much done without breaking shit anyway, so..."
Sloan murmured from beside him, and Dane turned to see the man sat up on the counter. He opened his mouth to scold him, then decided against it and shook his head. He added another teaspoon of sugar to his tea cup.
Once the kettle was boiled he poured both their drinks, when a soft voice caught his attention. "Hey, Dane? I love you, mate. Forever. You know that, right?"
Dane handed the man his drink then nodded quietly, sipping at his own. Although the 'moment' he'd had before was over the feeling of wanting to cry was still strangling him at the back of his throat and these words seemed to make his vision blur slightly. Of course he knew it, but it made all the difference to hear it every once in a while.
He placed his mug down and wandered over to his boyfriend, resting a hand on either side of Sloan's lap and reached out on his tiptoes to kiss the man on the lips.
"I do." He replied simple, then rested his brow on Sloan's shoulder, inhaling his warm scent for what felt like the first time. "I have to keep reminding myself sometimes, but I do."
He pulled back slightly, pecking Sloan's neck in the process, and grabbed his mug and sipped it again. It was wonderfully sweet, just as he liked it.
"I love you too." He replied, then smiled, apparently amused by this. "I'm to hope you know that by now after..." He nodded towards the door, gesturing to the incident outside. "But, obviously, if you're just saying that because you want the chocolate digestives in the cupboard, then that's fine too." He added on cheekily, shooting Sloan a bright grin.
He sipped his tea again then set the cup down and stepped back over to Sloan, slipping his arms around the man's waist and locking his fingers at the back.
"I'm going to drive to that big pet shop in town and buy some sugar beet if you want to join me." He shrugged. "We could go to a cafe or something, I don't know. Depends if you have anything you want to do."

Sloan took the mug that Dane handed him, but as he was about to take a sip, he felt his boyfriend's hands rest on his legs, and he cast him a curious glance. When Dane leaned in to kiss him, Sloan put the mug down, and pecked his boyfriend's lips sweetly in response.
"I do." Dane answered at last, burying his face in Sloan's chest, "I have to keep reminding myself sometimes, but I do."
"Good." He smiled slightly, "'Cause even when I'm being a total dick, that'll never change."
Dane kissed his neck as he pulled back, and Sloan picked up his tea, starting to sip at it as Dane went on, "I love you too. I'm to hope you know that by now after..." Dane gestured to the door, indicating their fight a few minutes ago. Sloan shuddered at the memory, "But, obviously, if you're just saying that because you want the chocolate digestives in the cupboard, then that's fine too." He scoffed at this, rolling his eyes, and ruffled Dane's hair playfully. "Mate," He said seriously, if I wanted the chocolate digestives, then I'd take the f*cking chocolate digestives." He winked, and added, "And yeah. I kinda believe that you love me right now." He laughed, "Maybe a bit too much, huh?"
He tilted his head slightly to one side, watching Dane fondly. The tea had calmed him, and he felt happy and content again now, just sitting around with Dane... It was remarkable how quickly his mood could change. He supposed he ought to work on that.

Once he had finished his tea, Dane wandered back over to Sloan, wrapping his arms around his waist. "I'm going to drive to that big pet shop in town and buy some sugar beet if you want to join me." He offered, and Sloan frowned thoughtfully as he considered it, "We could go to a cafe or something, I don't know. Depends if you have anything you want to do."
"Mmm." He nodded, absentmindedly stroking Dane's hair, "I suppose I could tag along. Just don't lose me, okay? Knowing my luck I'll end up halfway across China." He smiled jokingly, and jumped down from the counter; swooping in to give Dane a quick peck on the forehead.
"And mate, whatever you want to do, I'm in. I owe you after..." He waved his hand vaguely toward the door, indicating what had happened outside. Dane would know what he meant.
"Give me a second to get ready." He added, ruffling his boyfriend's hair before he headed off to shower and change.

Dane purred contently at the soft touch on his head, and smiled slightly as he looked up into Sloan's twinkling eyes. "I suppose I could tag along. Just don't lose me, okay? Knowing my luck I'll end up halfway across China."
Dane chuckled at this, moving aside to give Sloan room to stand, and to his surprise he felt a pair of lips on his forehead, and he blushed slightly. "And mate, whatever you want to do, I'm in. I owe you after..." He trailed off, flicking his hand strangely towards the door, and Dane nodded knowingly. It was over now; it needn't be mentioned again.
When Sloan mentioned getting ready, Dane raised an eyebrow at him. Did he need to get dressed up to go into town?
Maybe he's planning something... Dane wondered, and glanced down at his loose t-shirt and jeans. Maybe it was best if he tried to look like the fashionable young man he'd been playing for the last few years.
With this thought in mind, he left Sloan to shower and headed straight for the wardrobe to pick out some clothes.

Ten minutes later he was dressed in the usual skinny jeans and t-shirt, with a long-sleeved, brown, leather jacket, boots and a thin scarf that was wrapped loosely around his neck. He turned up his cuffs casually and headed into the lounge to watch TV whilst he waited for Sloan.
By the time his boyfriend was finished, Dane was almost contemplating putting "Call Me Maybe" on in order to herd him out of his hiding space, but thankfully he did not have to take such drastic measures.
"You ready to go?" He asked, grabbing his flat cap from one of the coat hooks and slipping it onto his head. Then, with a confident swagger, he opened his arms out and shifted his weight to one side, as if he were presenting some sort of special prize. "How do I look?" He smirked.
Not that it mattered, but he liked hearing from Sloan how good he looked, since he couldn't get it from the horses.

Sloan took quite a while getting ready, because he had to scrub the 'hospital' smell off him, then hack away at the annoying little beard that his time in the hospital had given him. When he looked at himself in the mirror, he actually cringed, and ended up shaving all of his facial hair right off; leaving him completely clean shaven for the first time in a few years.
He stared at his reflection in the mirror with some surprise, not entirely happy to see a strange rendition of his teenage self looking back at him, then shrugged and neatened up his hair into the best style he could manage with it all grown out as it was. The end result was not bad. Different, but good-looking nevertheless. Then again, wasn't he always?
Nodding in satisfaction, he wrapped a towel around his waist, and left the bathroom to change into some 'going out' clothes.
He didn't bother getting dressed up; just pulled on a pair of nice jeans and a collared black shirt, along with the Celtic necklace that Dane had given him a while back - that was never far from him - and a couple of studs in his lip and ears. It had been a while since he'd made use of his piercings, so he figured, why not?

Once he was ready, he walked out into the living room to meet Dane, nodding silently when his boyfriend asked if he was ready. He stood back and watched while Dane put on his cap, then struck a pose and asked, "How do I look?"
"Like a supermodel, dear." Sloan replied teasingly, flashing his boyfriend a fond grin and stepping forward to rest a hand heavily on his cap.
"Let's get going then, shall we? You can drive, obviously. Knowing my luck, I'll probably land us in a ditch."
If it was still too soon to make jokes about his accident, then obviously, nobody had told Sloan yet. His sense of humour remained as inappropriate as ever.

Dane chuckled at Sloan's cheesy reaction, his cheeks flushing slightly. Honestly, Sloan could have just said he looked 'fine' and he'd still have loved the attention.
"Let's get going then, shall we? You can drive, obviously. Knowing my luck, I'll probably land us in a ditch."
Dane rolled his eyes. Trust Sloan to joke about something so sensitive so quickly. He adjusted his cap - Sloan had pushed it too far down his head when he'd touched it - and headed out the house, unlocking the Jeep with the electric keys and climbed into the driver's seat. It had been a while since he'd gone for a drive without feeling anxious or thinking too much about Sloan. Now the man was with him, he could feel himself relaxing considerably.
"I'm going to head to the tack shop for some jodhpur clips first, then we'll head to the pet shop." He thought outloud, then pulled on his seat belt, and turned to Sloan with a crooked grin.
"No playing games with Dane whilst he's driving." He winked, when it occurred to him that Sloan may not have even remembered Dane teasing him whilst he was driving. In fact, if he couldn't remember them having sex then he certainly wouldn't remember a couple of insignificant car journeys. Dane shrugged. He could enjoy the private joke, at least.

After they'd paid a visit to the tack shop, they decided to take shortcut which took them down in intertwining country lane half way up a hill, passing a couple of small farm areas on the way.
It was a quiet route, one which Dane sometimes took briefly on the quad bike to get some of the ponies from the old stable yard. He didn't know it well, but he knew where it ended up.
They drove down this road for around five minutes, when a small sign painted on a block of old wood on the side of the road caught his attention. He glanced curiously at it, when the word 'puppies' caused him to gasp in excitement, and the Jeep skidded to a dramatic halt.
No cars were coming from either side, and the sign had been strategically placed so that people would notice it from both ends of the road.
He stared at the sign a moment longer, reading each scruffily-fainted word with a growing smile on his face: 'FOR SALE - BELGIAN SHEPHERD PUPPIES. LIMITED TIME ONLY. CALL NO. BELOW FOR DETAILS'.
Dane's eyes followed the narrow lane that the sign pointed to, not even bothering to read the phone number, and noticed a small cottage hidden beside a neatly-cut hedged wall. His face lit up into a huge grin.
He looked at Sloan, his expression speaking his words for him. Can we get one, Sloany? Can we? Please?

Sloan didn't exactly 'get' Dane's joke about playing games, and he realized instantly that he was probably missing something. This realization left him feeling rather subdued and quiet for the next few minutes of the ride. He stared aimlessly out of the window, watching the scenery drift by outside the Jeep. He missed being in the driver's seat, but that would have to wait. He didn't have the coordination yet... Hell, maybe he never would?
Made despondent by his thoughts, he remained silent for most of the drive to the tack shop, but he perked up considerably after buying himself a nice new whip - not because he needed it, but rather because he wanted one, and he liked the look of it.
The drive to the pet shop was certainly more enjoyable, until - while traveling along a country road - Dane stopped so suddenly that Sloan was jerked forward, and caught by the seatbelt. He grunted in pain, rubbing his recently-healed ribs, and peered questioningly into the road to see what had stopped Dane. When he saw nothing, he cast his boyfriend a questioning glance, feeling rather sorry for himself. That had hurt. He rather expected Dane to look apologetic, but instead he was met by a hopeful, pleading expression. Frowning irritably, he followed Dane's gaze, and saw a sign about puppies for sale. He sighed heavily, and slapped a palm to his forehead.
"No, Dane." He said firmly, "Just no. We're not getting a f*cking puppy."
He shot Dane an accusatory glare, still rubbing his sore chest in a moody fashion. His ribs were throbbing horribly now, and the pain certainly did nothing to help his mood.
"Drive." He said irritably, waving his hand in a dismissive fashion, "The pet shop will be closed soon, otherwise."

At Sloan's blunt, rather grumpy reply, Dane's face fell. He wasn't exactly expecting an enthusiastic 'yes', but he wasn't expecting Sloan to turn him down so soon either.
"Drive, Sloan ordered grumpily. "The pet shop will be closed soon, otherwise."
"B-b-but... Sloany..." He whined like a spoilt child, glancing from the weathering sign to his boyfriend. It didn't occur to him that he may have hurt his boyfriend by getting so excited over the one sign, but, like a stubborn little boy that he was - at heart, anyway - he didn't want to give up yet.
"You don't understand..." He gestured to the sign. "They're puppies. Like... Puppies." He brought a hand dramatically to his chest. "I can feel my motherly instincts kicking in already. Can't we just have a little look?" He creased his forehead so that the middle of his brow lifted up slightly, causing his eyes to grow in that same angelic way that usually gave him what he wanted.
"Just an iddy..." He pinched his fingers together as if to demonstrate. "Biddy look?"

Luckily, Sloan was still annoyed enough not to fall for Dane's adorable expression instantly, although he did find it damn hard to look away.
"No." He insisted stubbornly, glaring at the window, "And don't give me that face - it won't help anything." He turned back to look at Dane, still scowling, just in time to see his boyfriend give his best puppy-dog impression, and plead cutely, "Just an iddy biddy look?"
Sloan groaned, burying his face in his hands, and just sat like that a moment in stony silence, still waiting for the dull throbbing in his ribs to die away. At last, he looked back at Dane, and said firmly, "Dane, the last thing we need right now is a dog. No matter what you say," He shook his head, "I'm not with you in this. I've just got out of hospital," His jaw tightened, and he added sulkily, "Yeah, my ribs are killing me, thanks for asking..." He huffed irritably, like a moody teenager, then continued, "Anyway, if there was ever a really shitty time to commit to a new pet, then this is it. I've got to pay for medical bills, repairs on the Jeep, a wedding..." He counted each point off on his fingers, "Midnight, Archie, our living expenses... And goddammit, Dane, you won't even let me work yet!" He uttered an incredulous laugh, "Besides, I know that if you get a dog, I'll end up looking after it, and I'm barely managing to look after myself right now." He grasped Dane's cheeks in his hands, and pressed firmly, "Look at me, Dane. This is a bad idea." He shook his head, "I'm not saying no... I'm just saying, not now. And I expect you to respect that." He released Dane's face, and nodded to the road, "Now drive."

At Sloan's long lecture about expenses and such, Dane just sulked to himself. He knew a dg would be expensive, but surely a horse was more so? Besides, it was going to be eventing season, soon, and they had more horses to compete with this year.
He continued down this thought track of denial right until Sloan cupped his face in his hands, and Dane was forced to look up at the man's serious gaze.
"Look at me, Dane. This is a bad idea. I'm not saying no... I'm just saying, not now. And I expect you to respect that."
Dane's eyes widened. Sloan expected him to? He shivered at the force of his scolding, and sank away in his seat when he felt himself being released from Sloan's grip.
He sneaked one last look at the sign - this time, making a mental note of the phone number - and followed Sloan's gaze back onto the road.
"Now drive."
He didn't need to be told twice. At the evident authority in Sloan's tone, Dane was forced to drive again, leaving the sign behind, mumbling a shy apology for Sloan's aching ribs.

After a short, rather awkward drive, they appeared at the pet shop. Dane parked the Jeep and stuffed the keys in his pocket, then nodded to Sloan to follow him into the large shop.
The harsh reminder of the puppy incident was all around, but Dane forced himself to act like it never happened, and once the horse feed had been bought and stuffed in the back seat of the car, Dane didn't get back into the driver's seat. Instead, he asked, "Fancy a cuppa?"
He glanced at the shopping centre just opposite the car park, and added - his voice spiking with curiosity - "In fact, we might as well stop for dinner. Claire said this place does some seriously good evening meals." He gestured towards the restaurant sign, which read "La Bistro" in fancy, floral lettering.

Sloan folded his arms in a satisfied fashion when Dane finally consented to listen to him, and he brushed off his boyfriend's apology with a grunt of, "It doesn't matter." It didn't, but he still appreciated the apology. So much so, in fact, that after they had been driving for a few minutes, Sloan began to feel guilty. Maybe he should have considered Dane's idea to get a puppy more seriously... After all, it wouldn't add much to their expenses - that had mostly been an excuse, because he didn't want the responsibility of a dog.
Whatever, he had got his way, and that was what mattered.
Nodding decisively, he held his silence for the whole drive to the pet shop, then got out with Dane to pick up the Sugar Beet and everything else they needed. When they were preparing to leave, his boyfriend turned to him and said, "Fancy a cuppa?" Sloan raised a questioning eyebrow, glancing thoughtfully toward the shopping centre, and Dane added, "In fact, we might as well stop for dinner. Claire said this place does some seriously good evening meals."
Sloan nodded, then smiled warmly as he replied, "Sounds good. I'm famished." He took hold of Dane's hand and squeezed it gently, but that was the only hint of apology that he offered for the puppy incident. He was too proud to do it out loud.
Still holding his boyfriend's hand, he walked across the parking lot to 'La Bistro', the restaurant that Dane had indicated, and released his boyfriend's hand at the entrance, gesturing politely for him to enter first.
"Where d'you want to sit?" He asked, glancing around curiously.

Dane's fingers automatically intertwined with his boyfriend's as they strolled in to the restaurant, although when he felt Sloan squeeze his hand affectionately and they met eyes, he was sure he could see an apologetic sparkle in them.
Once they were inside Dane made a bee-line to one of the few clear tables high up by the window. Once he'd sat down he took a moment to glance around the room. The lights were dimmed slightly for the Valentine's Day theme, the rose-red carpet was glittered with glimmering heart-shaped confetti - a cheesy touch, but it did the job - and violin music played in the background. Each table had a cream, lacy table cloth with a smaller, red cover, and wine glasses were already placed where the knives would be.
Dane shot Sloan a flirtatious smirk. He didn't really mind that they were getting some strange glances from some of the other couples, because with such a loving mood already floating around the room Dane was too busy staring at the beautiful man in front of him to care what anyone else thought.
"Well, this is..." He grinned down at his hands. "More romantic than I was expecting." He blushed slightly. "We'll have to come here more often. I feel like it's my birthday, or something."

Sloan followed Dane to a romantic little table and sat down beside him, staring incredulously around the room. It looked like he'd stepped into the mind of a hormonal teenage girl on Valentines Day, and he was not sure he liked it. It was so... So 'cutesy' and over-the-top romantic. Luckily, Dane didn't seem to mind, so Sloan was willing to let it go.
"Well, this is... More romantic than I was expecting." Dane admitted, blushing slightly, "We'll have to come here more often. I feel like it's my birthday, or something."
"I still don't know when your birthday is." Sloan pointed out grumpily, "Otherwise I'd bring you here..." He stared around the room, "Even though I do kind of feel like I'm in some gay teenage chick flick..." He glanced back at Dane, and flashed him a friendly wink.
"It's been too long since we've been out, huh?" He mused, picking up a menu and rubbing Dane's hand absentmindedly as he pored over it. He ignored any strange glances that came their way. He loved his boyfriend, so he didn't care what anybody else thought, as long as they kept it to themselves.
After staring distractedly at the menu for a while, Sloan looked up at Dane, and considered him thoughtfully. He was so handsome... Sloan could hardly comprehend the intensity of the adoration he felt when he looked at his boyfriend. It reminded him again of how cruel he had been to Dane earlier, and he felt guilt begin to gnaw at the pit of his stomach again. He needed to make amends.
"Hey, Daney?" He said gently, considering his boyfriend with an intelligent gaze, "Not to be a mood-killer, but..." He paused, "Can you get yourself home? I've got some errands I have to run, and I'll need the Jeep."
He watched Dane, waiting for a response, and offered a subtle smile, still running his thumb gently across his boyfriend's hand on the table.

Dane had to chuckle at the birthday comment as he bean to scan a menu curiously. He had to manage this with one hand, since Sloan had hold of the other, and he was obviously struggling. The tall menu kept swaying between his fingers, and he had to concentrate constantly on keeping it upright, or suffer the humiliation of letting it topple over onto the table, risking knocking his wine glass in the process.
He wasn't bothered about birthdays, which was why he'd never brought the subject up before. When he'd lost contact with his school friends the usual birthday usually consisted of a two-minute call from his mother and hours of feeling down about it. Claire had once tried to make a big deal of it, she'd even invited some of her friends to her house to celebrate with him, but he'd never felt up for it. Since his father had died he'd never really been all that keen on celebrating himself, so he pretty much kept it quiet nowadays. It wasn't anything for Sloan to take personally, he just didn't do it.
"Even though I do kind of feel like I'm in some gay teenage chick flick..."
Dane snickered. He had to admit he did as well, but unlike Sloan, he was rather enjoying it.
"It's been too long since we've been out, huh?"
Dane shrugged. It was true, but since they'd had such a dramatic few weeks going out for dinner hadn't been the top of his priority list.
He scanned the menu for what felt like the tenth time, first checking out the prices, then the dishes themselves. Surprisingly it wasn't too expensive considering the decorations, and Dane settles for a two-course special and some Pepsi for himself.
He glanced up to see Sloan looking at him with the strangest expression. He narrowed his eyes suspiciously, then ended up pulling a stupid face in attempt to amuse his boyfriend. Sloan didn't seem to notice.
Dane pondered for a moment, curious to find out what Sloan was thinking. When he was about to ask, however, Sloan began to speak.
"Hey, Daney? Not to be a mood-killer, but... Can you get yourself home? I've got some errands I have to run, and I'll need the Jeep."
Oh.
Dane wasn't expecting poetry, but that wasn't what he wanted to hear when they'd only just sat down. Still... He took a deep breath and set the menu down on it's stand, and shrugged.
Whatever Sloan was planning that Dane wasn't allowed to know about, it had to be for a good cause.
"I guess I could ask Claire to give me a lift, yeah." He nodded, then his brow creased for a moment with curiosity. What exactly was Sloan going to do?
Shrugging, Dane decided to drop the subject and twisted his engagement ring absentmindedly around his finger. "Choose what you want. I'll pay." He murmured cheerfully, grinning at the man, then leant coolly back on his chair. In the background a soft guitar melody was playing through the speaker above their heads, followed by Jason Mraz singing 'I Won't Give Up'. It was a classic song that always turned Dane teary if he listened to it enough.
Regardless, he loved the song, and began mouthing the lyrics in Sloan's direction with a mischievous smile, silently serenading his boyfriend.

'Well, I won't give up on us
Even if the skies get rough
I'm giving you all my love
I'm still looking up...'

He gazed into Sloan's twinkling eyes, lit up by the glittering, yellow lights above and around them, and his mind cast back to all the time he'd looked into those eyes and saw nothing but grey. All those times when Sloan had either denied his love, ignored him, run from him... And Dane had never given up on him. Not once.
Dane had long since stopped mouthing the lyrics, but Jason Mraz's voice continued.

'And when you're needing your space
To do some navigating
I'll be here patiently waiting
To see what you find.

'Cause even the stars they burn
Some even fall to the earth
We've got a lot to learn
God knows we're worth it
No, I won't give up...'

Dane looked down, the smile sinking away from his face. The relief he'd been hiding ever since Sloan had woken up piled up on top of him and, although he refused to cry in public, his eyes twinkled excessively in the dim lighting. Even long after the song itself had finished Dane was quiet, staring silently at the engagement ring on his finger.

Sloan nodded, pleased, when Dane agreed to get Claire to give him a lift, and he offered a grateful smile. It was nice that Dane understood when to question him, and when to just leave it alone. He appreciated that... His boyfriend really did know how best to deal with him, and that was just as well, given how unstable he'd been of late.
"Choose what you want. I'll pay." Dane piped up cheerfully, and Sloan looked up at him with a smile, eyebrows raised in an impressed fashion.
"My my," He teased, "I've found myself a man who reaches for the bill. That's the dream." He returned his boyfriend's grin, but then his expression softened warmly when Dane began mouthing the lyrics of the song that was playing. He had not been listening, since it was far from his style of music, but when he did take the time to hear the lyrics, he had to admit, he was touched. It was fitting of his relationship with Dane... In fact, it almost left him feeling a little emotional. Looking at Dane, Sloan could tell he felt the same. His boyfriend's eyes were shining, and though he did not cry, Sloan knew the signs well enough to know that he wanted to.
"Hey." He whispered, leaning across the table and taking Dane's hand warmly between both of his own.
"Look at me." He encouraged gently, flashing a radiant smile, "Everything's fine now. You don't have to worry any more; everything is going to go back to normal."
He squeezed Dane's hand lovingly, his eyes twinkling with confidence for the first time in far too long as he reassured his boyfriend. He didn't so much as spare a glance at any of the disapproving people around him. He loved Dane with all his heart, and he had finally reached the point where he didn't give a single flying f*ck who knew about it.
"I love you." He told Dane solemnly, "And I promise I'll always be here for you, so for God's sake, mate..." He chuckled softly, "Cheer up!"

Sloan's voice eventually brought Dane back to his senses, and he looked up obediently with slightly clearer vision, although his eyes still twinkled more than usual.
"Everything's fine now. You don't have to worry any more; everything is going to go back to normal."
He had to smile at this. It was amazing how Sloan just... Got him. He didn't even have to look into Dane's eyes to know what he was thinking, and he knew enough not to ask for reassurance.
Still... Was it ever going to go back to normal? Would Sloan ever replenish his memory, or his mood, or coordination? What if he didn't, and it just got worse? What if he lost the ability to ride?
Dane gasped at the thought, but he tried not to show the horror in his face. Sloan would only pick it up and want to know what was troubling Dane, even though he already knew.
He looked down at his hand, which was now wrapped up in Sloan's so much that it was hard to tell whose was whose. If things were going to get worse there was no point worrying about it, since it wouldn't change anything.
"I love you. And I promise I'll always be here for you, so for God's sake, mate..." Sloan's face lit up into an amused chuckle. "Cheer up!"
Dane blushed, embarrassed when he suddenly realised how ridiculous he'd look if he started crying in the middle of the restaurant. Sloan was right. What was worth getting upset about at a time like this? He shook his head in amusement and sat up, realising how slumped his shoulders had been, and inhaled a long sigh. "Sorry," he murmured. "I thought I was over it, but..." He shook his head. "Never mind, it doesn't matter. Shall we order?"

A few minutes later their drinks arrived, Dane was still scanning the dessert blackboard on the wall, his face now lit up at the thought of food.
"Ohh, Sloany..." He nodded towards the board, completely shameless of using his boyfriend's pet name in public. "They have melt-in-the-middle pudding." He gasped in excitement. "Oh, but I also like chocolate brownie sundaes. God, I don't even know." He placed his head in his hands and pushed his cheeks together slightly, causing his lips to pout involuntarily.
He stared at Sloan with a comically serious expression, still having his lips poking out in a surprisingly good fish impression.

Luckily, the issue soon blew over, and both men returned their attention to choosing their meals. Sloan was torn between steak and a burger, but Dane only seemed intent on the desserts. Sloan cast his boyfriend an amused smirk when he heard his name called, and just shook his head at Dane's ridiculous face.
"You're a goof." He pointed out seriously, giving his boyfriend's nose an affectionate tweak. "How about you get the pudding, I get the sundae, and we just share?" He suggested, offering a mild smile. It may have seemed like a small offer, but it was really rather a large gesture coming from him. He hated sharing food at the best of times, let alone sharing dessert... But Dane was special enough that it didn't really bother him any more.

Once they had placed their orders - Sloan deciding to go with the burger to save himself the embarrassment of trying to cut up a steak - the pair sat in companionable silence for a while as they sipped their drinks. When the food arrived, Sloan dug in ravenously - keen to eat something aside from shitty hospital food - and he wolfed down his burger in a matter of minutes.
Soon enough his plate was clear, so then he spent his time watching Dane eat and making pleasant conversation. He had managed to remain relatively calm throughout the meal, which he considered an accomplishment, given how often he had throws trays of food at innocent nurses in the past week.

When the dessert arrived, however, it was a slightly different story. Sloan still struggled to grip the spoon properly, and after managing a few clumsy mouthfuls, he just grew frustrated and gave up, pushing the dessert in Dane's direction.
"I'm taking off now." He said, forcing a gentle smile as he slapped some money down on the table (even though Dane had agreed to pay, he still wanted to help out). He felt bad for running out on Dane, but he could feel his frustration growing, and it would not do to make a scene in public.
"I'll see you back home, okay?" He said kindly, taking the Jeep keys from Dane and flashing a warm smile, "I won't be long, but you can contact me on my cell if you need me..." He paused, rolling his eyes, and added in bitter amusement, "Assuming I'm not too much of a f*cking klutz to answer it."

Dane nodded in agreement when Sloan mentioned sharing their puddings. It was the logical choice, really, but Dane was still surprised at the suggestion. He'd never shared his food with his boyfriend before, not even in the 'Lady and the Tramp' spaghetti way.
"That sounds good," he chirped enthusiastically, sipping away at his Pepsi.

Dane went with the traditional chicken dinner, which contrasted amusingly with Sloan's burger, but he didn't mind. It was delicious, and he ate with all the dignity he could muster in a restaurant with an empty stomach.
Once dessert came by, Dane was well and truly ready for it. He chewed on the wonderfully warm melt-in-the-middle pudding and greedily scooped up most of the sauce from the middle instead of leaving it for Sloan. He pretended not to notice that his boyfriend was struggling with holding his spoon and pretended it didn't bother him because it would only dampen the mood, but secretly, Dane was worried. He couldn't help but notice that practice wasn't making Sloan's coordination any better, and even though it was only early days, Sloan hadn't improved.
They swapped desserts and Dane finished the ice cream happily, murmuring every now and then about how delicious it was, or that he'd have to have a good run in the morning to burn it off again.

Once he had stuffed himself enough to cause his cheeks to blush, he stopped eating, and sipped quietly on his drink. He was far too tired to jump when Sloan put some money on the table, and could only muster a pathetic whimper when the man mentioned leaving.
"I won't be long, but you can contact me on my cell if you need me... Assuming I'm not too much of a f*cking klutz to answer it."
Dane chuckled, too late. "Yes, well, if I do ring you then stop the car before you answer, and if you miss me just ring me back." He said firmly, like a mother telling her child why smoking is bad for your health.
Sighing, Dane sipped away at his drink and pulled out his mobile. "If you have any problems, any at all..." He nodded pointedly to Sloan's hands. They both knew what he meant. "Just pull over and ring me, and Ill find a way to pick you up." He yawned, his mouth stretching further than it should, like a hippo, then he shot Sloan a lazy smile.
"See you back home." He cooed, pouting his lips cheekily then shot the man a friendly wink. "Love you."

"Yes, mother." Sloan teased, dismissing Dane's worry with a dramatic roll of his eyes. He smiled affectionately, and gave Dane's hair a fond ruffle. "I'll be fine." He promised, "I'm not completely retarded, you know." He kissed Dane's pouting lips, totally oblivious to any disapproving stares of the strangers in the restaurant, and strode out with the keys in his hand.

Starting the Jeep was the most difficult part. He battled to get a grip on the key, and sliding it into the ignition was even harder. Luckily, after a few minutes of cursing and beating the dashboard with his fists, Sloan managed to start the engine, and breathed a huge sigh of relief. From there, driving was not too difficult. He had some trouble changing gears, so he just drove slowly most of the way to avoid having to change too much.
It took him just over ten minutes to drive back onto that dusty country road where he had argued with Dane, and another five to find the sign about the puppies for sale. When he did, he pulled over and parked the Jeep at the side of the road.

Cursing at the thought of having to start the vehicle again, Sloan trudged irritably up the driveway to the farmhouse, and knocked on the door. After inquiring about the puppies he was taken to see them, and ended up picking the runt of the litter, a little Belgian Shepard with one floppy ear and a pink spot on his nose.
Hoisting the puppy up under his arm, Sloan paid the farmer, and nodded a brief thanks, then he turned to leave with the squirming bundle in his arms.
The puppy whimpered excitedly and flailed around, tail lashing in circles like a little windmill as its pink tongue darted up toward Sloan's chin.
Ignoring the animal, Sloan headed back to the Jeep and dumped it unceremoniously on the back seat, grumbling about his precious leather being scratched when it scampered up and down.

On the way home, Sloan stopped off at the pet shop to buy some supplies for the new puppy, then headed on back to the yard. He somehow managed to find his way, and once home, he released the puppy to let it dash into the house, tail wagging madly. It darted straight up to Dane, tackling him and showering him in licks, and Sloan just stomped in grumpily after it. "Not a word!" He said sharply, pointing an accusing finger at his boyfriend as he passed, "Not a f*cking word." Huffing irritably to himself, Sloan trudged on to the bedroom and sat down heavily on the bed, kicking off his shoes and flopping down on the pillows. It had been a tiring day, and he was exhausted... In more ways than one.

Dane watched the man saunter off to the Jeep with a look of longing in his eyes, absentmindedly chewing on one of the lips his boyfriend had kissed, completely ignoring the strange looks he got.
He just hoped Sloan's driving wasn't going to be affected too much by his brain damage....

After a very loud, hyper drive back with Claire, Dane was ready to drop alseep in bed and never awaken again.
That is, until Sloan came home.
Dane was on the sofa, wrapped up in a blnket playing a crappy game of Snake on his phone when his boyfriend finally returnd. Without looking around Dane started to say, "I was starting to wonder what you've been up to. Are you cheating on me with a chick or something?"
Then the pitter patter of little feet lolloping across the carpet caught his attention, and when he turned around from the sofa on his hands and knees and saw the bundle of fluff with that happy little face rabbit-hopping towards him, he was so happy he could have died.
He greeted the puppy like a long lost lover, and cuddled it dramatically as it licked off every tiny speck of salt from his face. When he looked up, face pulled into the biggest, happiest grin his facial muscles would allow, he was met with a grumpy boyfriend and an accusatory finger, warning for him not to bring the subject up again.
He didn't care. As much as Sloan said he didn't want any more attention because of it, Dane was going to give it to him anyway.
But for now, his attention was on the puppy.
He cooed and cuddled it like a mother with a child until his hands and chin were coated in a thin layer of slimy saliva, and until the puppy - who he'd soon decided to call Biscuit, due to it's chocolate colour mixed with the darker brown and the adorable pink spot on it's nose - had tired itself out and had dropped on the floor into a relaxed position, almost ready to go to bed.
Dane spent a few minutes petting it until it seemed like it was asleep, and then set out to make it's bed and lay down some kitchen roll, like his father had used to do with the two Great Danes he'd had as a very young boy. He led the young puppy to it's bed and tucked it in, then closed to door and headed to the bedroom, where he saw the very tred Sloan laid in bed, seemingly already regretting what he'd done.
Grinning deviously, Dane lept on the bed so he was on his hands and knees, hovering his boyfriend's outstretched body. He was still grinning so much it hurt, but it was the good kind of hurt.
"I know you said 'not a word', but..." He chirped, "Thank you!"
He dropped down onto Sloan's body, showering him with happy kisses all over his face and neck, then hugged him so hard Sloan's face would have one blue if he'd hugged him for long enough. "Thankyouthakyouthankyou... You amazing boyfriend. You won't regret it, mate, I promise!" He beamed again, finally kissing Sloan's lips affectionately, then pulled away, falling onto his side beside the man and staring admiringly at him.

It didn't take long for Dane to enter the room, and when he did, he pounced onto Sloan without a second thought. Sloan grunted, shooting him a glare, but he couldn't keep pretending to be annoyed when he saw that adorably happy face staring back at him. He smiled despite himself.
"I know you said 'not a word', but..." Dane chirped, "Thank you!"
"Yeah, yeah." Sloan muttered, obviously pleased with himself, "You're welcome, mate." He allowed Dane to kiss him, staring happily up at the ceiling and accepting the affection like royalty. Then Dane suddenly hugged him, and Sloan groaned when he felt the air squeezed out of him. It was lucky Dane pulled away when he did, or Sloan might have suffocated. Chuckling to himself as he caught his breath, he turned a fond gaze on his boyfriend, and just shrugged modestly when Dane went on, "Thankyouthakyouthankyou... You amazing boyfriend. You won't regret it, mate, I promise!"
He returned Dane's kiss, and rolled over to face his boyfriend when he pulled away. "I regret it already." He teased, placing a hand lovingly on his boyfriend's head and meeting the affection in his gaze with pure warmth.
"Come here." He murmured, propping himself up on one arm and leaning over to meet his boyfriend's lips in a gentle kiss. "You know," He mused, smirking teasingly, "It would have been nice if you were this excited when I proposed. Seriously, it's like you're happier to be with that mutt than with me." Flashing a handsome wink, Sloan walked a pair of fingers flirtatiously up Dane's chest, leaning over him in a seductive fashion, "I love you~." He crooned in a singsong voice, a cheerful expression on his face.
With his memories falling back into place quicker than ever before and with Dane being so loving and supportive, Sloan was the happiest he had been in a while. He had no doubt that he would be back to normal in no time. Already, he felt more like himself.

Dane giggled happily as Sloan pulled him into a kiss, returning it gratefully, and he snuggled into his boyfriend's embrace as if he were a human water bottle.
"You know, it would have been nice if you were this excited when I proposed. Seriously, it's like you're happier to be with that mutt than with me."
Dane considered him. "Yeah, but I was teary-happy then. How much happier did you want me to be?" He grinned, then Sloan's words finally kicked in. The smile fell from his face momentarily, and he stared at the man in utter disbelief. "Wait-... You remember proposing to me?"
At the absence of a reply, Dane just burst out laughing. He'd been so worried, so scared that he'd have to live as just a boyfriend for the rest of his life, or until at least Sloan regained his memories. But amazingly, the same day Sloan had come home and Dane had worried about all these things just reliving the same routine as he used to was enough to jog his memory.
At the sudden feeling of fingers trickling beneath his shirt Dane shuddered, and he stared at Sloan with a raised eyebrow. Was he just being flirtatious or was he-
"I love you..."
Okay, there were many different ways to say those words, and Dane was pretty sure what he'd heard was the 'sexy' way. A tiny smile tugged at one side of his mouth.
He's back.
With this though in mind, Dane decided to take Sloan's mood for granted and rolled onto his back, arms flopped lifelessly on either side of him. Sloan towered over him with that same cheeky expression he always wore at moments like this, and Dane knew immediately where the moment was going to go.
Still, he didn't want to give himself false hope, so he asked stupidly, "Does this mean we can have sex now?"
He raised his eyebrows in a flirtatious fashion then, without waiting for an answer, giggled in that same feminine way and slid both hands around the back of his boyfriend's head, caressing the tuft of hair with his fingertips. Grinning, he angled his head upwards into a soft kiss, leaving one hand to wander down the man's back.
A soft cry from the kitchen below broke the kiss, and, frowning, Dane turned his head away from Sloan so he could listen more. Pause. Shrugging, Dane turned back to the kissing fest at hand, wrapping one leg around Sloan's. Then came the crying again, which then turned to a strange squealing, and then to a high-pitched howl.
"Aww, Sloany. He's lonesome." Dane cooed, staring up at his boyfriend with an innocent gaze. He was about to ask whether the puppy could sleep with them, but he wasn't sure he'd be able to go through a night of sex with the puppy watching. That is if he didn't get in the way in the first place.