Without moving anything but his hand, not even opening his eyes, CJ flipped him off.

Gavin went back to the living room to find what he was looking for. Near where CJ had tossed his keys was a pharmacy bag with meds. And a leather bracelet that Gavin recognized. He’d given it to CJ a whole bunch of years ago. Picking it up, he rolled it between his fingers, memories slamming into him.

They’d been at the carnival the summer after ninth grade. He’d won the bracelet at some stupid darts game and CJ had put it on. Said he’d never take it off.

Gavin took it and the pills, along with a bottle of water, back to the bedroom. Sitting on the bed, he waited.

CJ opened his eyes, looked at the leather band, then closed his eyes again.

“You kept it,” Gavin said quietly.

“It meant something to me.” CJ swallowed and Gavin watched his Adam’s apple bounce. “I had put it back on after the other night.”

At that, it was Gavin’s turn to swallow hard. CJ was no longer the same boy he’d loved, but a grown man and a hell of a lot more honest about his feelings than Gavin could ever hope to be.

“They made me take it off again at the hospital,” CJ said. “I can’t put it back on until the abrasions on my wrists heal.”

Gavin eyed CJ’s wrists, which were bruised and cut up, probably from where he’d fallen after getting shot. So he put the bracelet on himself. CJ watched, his mouth slightly curved like he was amused at both of their stupidly sentimental asses.

“Until you can wear it again, I’ll wear it for you,” Gavin said.

CJ’s smile faded. Looking unbearably touched, he nodded.

Gavin blew out a breath and read the med bottles. “You’re supposed to start these antibiotics right away.” He handed one over with the water and then turned to the pain meds.

“I don’t need any of those,” CJ said.

“Really? Cuz you’re shaking with pain, and you’re also paler than your sheets. Quite the feat for a Puerto Rican. Look, just take a damn pain pill. I’ll stay and watch over you—”

“No.”

“Why not?” Gavin asked, exasperated. Worried.

“Because you can’t have any pain meds, not ever again.”

And because he couldn’t, CJ wouldn’t allow himself to have any either. In solidarity. The surprising support had Gavin’s throat too tight to talk again. He slipped the bottle back into the pharmacy bag. “You weren’t supposed to even be on duty.”

“Yeah? And?”

“And you stepped in front of a bullet. You stepped in front of a goddamn bullet.”

“There were kids in there, Gav. A ten-year-old boy standing frozen in terror, not five feet from me. If I hadn’t charged that asshole with the gun . . .”