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The first time Zane had asked Ty on a date the man had thought it was a joke. Sure, after the whole fiasco with Kelly giving Zane his number, the two men had actually gotten fairly close. Soon enough, Zane would spend lazy afternoons lounged in one of the leather chairs. He would silently watch Ty, Nick, and Kelly bicker like they always did. Ty would automatically just bring him a coffee when he saw Zane enter in the early afternoons. Once in a while he even sat on the armrest to talk for a while before Nick would eventually yell at Ty to get his lazy ass back to work.
So when Zane asked Ty out on a date about two weeks later, he completely blew him off.
“Zane, I am in no way getting myself in a damn monkey suit to just go to dinner. Nuh uh.” Ty shook his head as Zane stood there dumbfounded. It wasn’t until later that night when Nick pulled Ty aside and told him that Zane was asking him out on a date that he realized what he did.
“Oh shit I just totally shut him down didn’t I..”
“Yeah, you pretty much did. Good luck getting laid now!” Nick slapped Ty’s shoulder as he had the biggest shit eating grin. Ty just groaned in response.
It would continue like that for a few more weeks into the mid fall. The weather was turning colder by the day, and soon Ty could swear he smelled the snow approaching upon them. Everyone would chuckle about it, but Ty swore it was true since he was raised a mountain boy. Zane every so often would make a comment about dinner together or catching a new movie and Ty would shoot him down, not realizing until much later that was yet another come on.
“I gotta hand it to the guy, he is persistent. I wouldn’t even try the first time to ask you on a date. Too twitchy.” Kelly said as he winked.
Currently they were all setting up halloween themed decorations around the small shop. Nick had originally thought it was a terrible idea, but was goaded on by Kelly to be a little more festive.
“Thanks Kelly, glad to know you got my back here.” Ty gruffly responded mainly to himself as he stepped down from the chair he was currently using to hang a paper pumpkin.
“Maybe he’s a serial killer, and knows the only person that was as horse shit insane like him, is you. He’s trying to make you his new apprentice.” Kelly said with his hands on his hips. Ty looked at him scrutinizingly. “It could happen.”
“What the fuck did you smoke today Abbott,” Nick hollered from his perch in front of the television. Nick, who had mainly been sitting there for the past hour watching the World Series, began cursing loudly as he the Yankee’s gained a run.
“You know O’ you could actually help decorate your own god damn store, you jackass piece of…” Ty yelled back when he heard the front door chime.
“Sorry, we’re about to close-” Ty cut himself off when he saw Zane walk into the door.
“Speak of the devil! Can you turn the lock Zane?” Nick happily called after whooping for joy. The hitter struck out which meant they only needed one more strike before the Red Sox were back up to bat. Ty watched Nick do a little dance for a moment before turning his grin onto Zane.
“No wonder I felt my ears burning. What’s going on?” Zane leaned on the front counter, completely invading Ty’s personal space. He couldn’t find it in himself to move away from the man, his breath catching in his throat.
“Kelly was saying he thinks you’re a serial killer and trying to make me your apprentice,” Ty smirked back at the taller man. Zane’s eyebrows shot up and looked over at Kelly. Kelly just whistled as he rearranged the donuts in their glass case.
“Close, but I wouldn’t want a possible dating prospect to become messily involved with my work life.” Zane deadpanned as Nick began chortling from where he stood. Ty scoffed at Zane and instead of responding just grabbed another paper pumpkin to hang. Zane caught his elbow and looked seriously at him.
“What’s it going to take for you to go on a date with me Grady? Do I need to start using bad pick-up lines or puns on you.”
“Please, the day you can break me with a pun, is the day I’ll kiss Nick’s ass.”
Zane just grinned evilly.
“Alright, how about this? If I can make you crack, you go on a date with me. If I can’t, well thats up to you to decide.” Zane’s eyes sparkled with a dark amusement that sent thrills down Ty’s back. Intrigued by the offer, Ty nodded.
“Alright Garrett, you got yourself a deal,” shaking Zane’s outstretched hand, Ty went back to closing up shop.
They both became distracted though, when Nick started cursing up a storm, as the Yankees got a home run. Everyone broke out laughing when Nick, in a fit of rage, hit his foot on a chair and hopped around.
"I fucking hate all of you." Nick growled out.
The puns started the next evening when they all gathered around upstairs in Nick’s living room watching some of their favorite movies. Ty and Zane sat next to each other with a bowl of popcorn between them.
“I gotta say, I think i’m like a lucky pirate because I just found myself a treasure.” Zane whispered into Ty’s ear while the other man sipped his beer. Snorting into the bottle softly, Ty just rolled his eyes.
“Props for keeping it with the movie theme,” Ty said and pointed to their current selection of Pirates of the Caribbean. Zane just smirked and sat back into his seat.
“Excuse me, but I’m really attracted to you and according to Newton’s laws of gravitation, you’re attracted to me too.” Zane had said when Ty handed him his morning coffee two days later. Ty just raised an eyebrow and smiled when Kelly scoffed behind him.
“You’re such a nerd Zane.” Ty winked as he turned away.
“Did you clean your pants with windex? I can practically see myself in them.”
Ty bit his lip at that one, as he heard Nick and Kelly bark out laughs behind them. They were all outside on the back porch as the other men shared a joint together. Ty had declined because drugs usually had strange reactions with his body.
“I may be stoned as fuck, but that shit was funny.” Kelly smiled as he took another hit. Zane smiled proudly as he looked at Ty. Pointedly ignoring him, Ty continued to stare out into the autumn sky.
“Are you from Tennessee? Cause you’re the only ten I see.”
“West Virginia actually, but thanks for the compliment.” Ty patted Zane’s cheek as he briskly walked past him in the shop. Zane laughed at the reply and wrote something in his tablet.
“Did you sit in frosted flakes just now? Cause that ass is greeeaaaat!” Zane pumped his fist in the air at the end as Ty bit his tongue. He had to hand it to Zane, that one was pretty funny. Raising an eyebrow, Ty walked away and snickered to himself when Zane quietly cursed.
It had been almost a week and half since the pick up line war started. Some had nearly broken Ty, but now he was adamant on not breaking. He had already promised himself that he was going to invite Zane over to his house on his next full day off, but Zane didn’t need to know that.
He honestly was having too much fun listening to the large dork try his best at making Ty laugh. It warmed his heart knowing Zane was trying so hard to go on a simple date with him. Ty would be plain stupid not to snatch the handsome man up before he was taken by someone else.
“You know Ty, you’re like a candy bar.” Zane said as he sipped his black coffee. Ty sat across the table and raised an eyebrow. After a moment of silence between them Ty finally took the bait.
“How do you figure?”
“You’re half sweet and half nuts.” Zane deadpanned, his eyes gleaming with delight.
Ty broke out laughing and slapped a hand over his mouth.
“AHA! I knew you were secretly a sap.” Zane double fisted the air triumphantly as Ty continued to laugh. When he finally got his emotions under control, Ty wiped his eyes and looked up at Zane who was smiling like a huge five year old. His hair was getting long around his ears, and curled in places. It sent a pang of emotion to Ty’s gut. He also wanted to reach out and touch the curls.
“Well I guess this means you finally get that date tonight,” Ty said as he got up from his chair. But before walking away, leaned closer to Zane’s ear.
“Meet me at my place at eight, and don’t wear anything tight. I don’t want to be fighting with your wardrobe when I get you in my bed.” Zane gulped audibly as Ty chuckled.
“Really dude, you fell for a nuts joke?” Nick said as Ty came around the counter. Kelly just smirked at them both as Ty flipped Nick off.