Cosmo sat, numbly feeling the pounding rhythms of the music around him but not really hearing it. His mind was too far away, elsewhere. Way elsewhere. He was barely aware of the drink in his limp hand as Cosmo stared sightlessly out at the dance floor.
 “Hey,” Ulene laughed in his ear, delivering a quick kiss to his cheek. Cosmo forced himself out of his revere and smiled to her as she slipped into the booth beside him, snuggling close.
 Nothing, he felt nothing. Her nearness, her touch, which had always brought little, excited shivers, did nothing this night. In fact, they hadn’t touch him that way in a while. Cosmo had been confused enough by that as was. Ulene was gorgeous! Smart and adored him. So why didn’t he adore her back any more?
 “Earth to Cosmo,” Ulene laughed and he flinched, realizing he’d drifted off again.
 “Sorry, Ulene,” he murmured with a hint of a blush. Ulene frowned slightly and gave him a criticizing look.
 “Are you okay, Cosmo? Lately you’ve seem... distracted?”
 Distracted. Yeah, that was a good way to put it.
 “Sorry,” he offered with a smile, trying to make it genuine. “Just a lot going on at the moment. Guess I haven’t been the best company,” he replied.
 The apology seemed to help as Ulene nodded knowingly.
 “Ace’s show, eh? No problem. You up to dancing?”
 “Not yet. I.. I just need to unwind for a moment.”
 Ulene gave him another scrutinizing look, then nodded, a flitting disappointment crossing her face.
 “Okay. I’ll check on ya later,” she promised with another quick kiss before she departed. And just as before, her lips did nothing. Raised no goosebumbs nor brought a warmth to his nether regions. Cosmo sighed, rolling his glass around in his hands.
 Oh man... What a mess.
 He wanted to talk to someone, but who? The one person, the first person he always went to with his problems was the cause of his dilemma. The second was Ulene and he sure as heck wasn’t going to mention this to her.
 Magic churned in his gut and Cosmo sighed in slight aggravation. That, he didn’t need. Just as he had been instructed, Cosmo drew the power in and released it, a small push to the napkin holder that shoved it nearly off the table, bringing it to the edge where it dangled precariously.
 Man.. what was he going to do? He had to talk to Ace. They needed to talk, but....
 Cosmo shivered. Ace’s hand, on his chest-- he felt it still. The older man’s fingers were like a brand against his skin. It had felt so.. good, to be touched. Cosmo.. he’d .. well... He’d had odd thoughts lately, but had never imagined... Ace’s hand, on his chest! His world had spun around that moment, that contact. A strange heat had suffused him, emotions that had laid under the surface rising. Curiosity, affection.... Desire.
 Cosmo groaned and forced himself to take a sip of his drink.
 Oh man... When had he ever been interested in men? When had he become interested in men? Never as far as he knew. Cosmo looked about. Tried to find the better looking men that were hanging out tonight. He looked at one fellow. Nope, he felt nothing. Found another and still the same reaction: still, nothing. No attraction. Not even the vaguest hint of interest. Okay... so maybe he wasn’t interested in guys in general.
 But he *was* interested in Ace.
 Oh man...
 What was he going to do?
 No answer magically popped up as Cosmo rubbed at his chest. Not at the warm spot that seemed to be the physical manifestation of Ace’s presence in him, but where the large hand had rested. Where the palm had pressed against his skin. Where it had laid against his bare flesh, a point of heat as the long fingers moved every so slightly. And then, then he had touched Ace back. Ace had let him! Let him rest his hand against the broad, powerful chest. And even though Ace still had his shirt on Cosmo remembered intimately the feel of the muscles tensing underneath the surface. The slight rise and fall of his partner’s chest and his heart beat. It had filled his world. Ace’s face came into focus in his memories. The emotions that had played across the magician’s features. Wonder, awe and -Cosmo dared to suspect- desire.
 Cosmo dropped the glass to the table. Could Ace really feel that? For him?! Cosmo suspected, just a little. He had been receiving the strangest sensations from his older friend as of late. Strange, flitting caresses of emotion, just strong enough to register, but each one... The heat came back and happily settled in his groin. Oh man! Strange sensations, but delightful... addictive. Cosmo didn’t try to tune them out, he tried to tune them in. Actively attempting to decipher more. Wanting to feel them rush over his thoughts, his body always reacting in kind.
 Then, there were the nights. On the occasion, he would wake up, those emotions coming stronger, more focused. In the past, he would have ignored them. In the past, such things would usually only be felt when Ace was with Mona. But, during these times, Cosmo knew Ace was alone and still he felt the sweet sensations and they had an almost personal taste to them. Was Ace dreaming of him? Thinking of him?
 Was it possible? Cosmo was thinking of Ace after all. And it freaked him every time he did! Some of the ideas that had danced across his brain made him blush. Damn straight they made him blush. But one thought was always the brightest. The strongest memory, the one that kept coming back was him, holding his friend. Holding Ace. Not a friendly embrace, but an intimate one, together.. naked...
 Cosmo jumped as he realized he was drifting again. The tightness in his pants spoke of exactly what he’d been thinking about and it involved no one at the DNA club this night.
 Cosmo almost sobbed. Man, what was he to do?! Today, today Ace had touched him and it had been the most... stunning, moment in his life.
 And his most confusing.
 Ace hadn’t seemed in any better shape. Did he have interest in him? Could Cosmo’s curiosity be returned? And why should it be? Ace was Ace. The Magician. Wealthy, famous, a handsome man who could have any lovely lady his heart desired. And he currently had Mona.
 Cosmo felt an amazing pang of jealousy at that. Mona. She was nice and beautiful and rich and Cosmo knew she cared for Ace. They were the perfect couple. The newspaper columns all thought so.
 And he suddenly hated that fact! Cosmo grabbed his glass and emptied it, shoving himself up out of the booth. He just had to get out; move. He was tired of thinking, of trying to sort out the weird desires and emotions raging in him. Feeling their strange echoes from Ace and confusing him all the more.
 What the hell was happening between them? If only he could get that answer, perhaps then he might feel half-way sane.
 But no easy answer presented itself as he moved to the club exit. And the only way to solve this dilemma was to speak with Ace. Cosmo wasn’t sure he could do that right now. Oh hell. Who was he kidding? He knew he couldn’t do that right know. Or possibly ever.
 What if he was wrong? What if Cosmo was reading the magician’s moods and actions all wrong?
 That thought alone hurt more then an injury he had every suffered as Cosmo slid the rollerblades on his feet. God it hurt. Because, in his heart of hearts, Cosmo knew.
 He didn’t want to be wrong.