Short slashy pieces

Matching--

Don grimaced and closed his eyes.style='mso-spacerun:yes'>

Beside him, Will laughed. “You’ve been shot, stabbed,
ripped, beaten up and god knows what else and you’re afraid of a little
pinprick?”

“It’s not the same,” Don grumbled.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “I know it’s coming and this one’s supposed
to be permanent.”

“Oh-ho,” Will said.
“So it’s the commitment that scares you.”

“No!” Don opened his eyes. “It’s not that, it’s – Ow!”

Don glared up at Will as the burly man holding the
instrument leaned back. Will smiled down
at him unapologetically.

“One down,” the man said.

Don rubbed the sore spot, which just made it sorer.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “Can’t we just stick with one?style='mso-spacerun:yes'> That’s traditional.”

“Only if you’re living in the 1970s,” Will said.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “I like to think we’re a little more modern
than that.”

“I liked the 1970s,” Don said petulantly.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “Lots of good music.”

“Eppes,” Will teased.
“You’re embarrassing the whole Bureau.”

“The whole Bureau isn’t here, Stevens.”

“Okay,” Will laughed. style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “You’re embarrassing me.”

“You’re the one who wanted to come to this place instead of
a nice shiny mall,” Don griped.

“They know how to do it right, here,” Will said, looking at
the man behind Don.

The burly man grunted in acknowledgement and got ready for
another attack.

“And how would you know that?”style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Don said, trying to distract himself.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “I don’t recall seeing any evidence that
you’ve been here before, and I’ve looked thoroughly.”

“Things heal,” Will said blithely and Don made a mental note
to ask him more about that later.

The burly man took advantage of Don’s distraction for his
second strike. Don let out a completely
un-masculine yelp and Will laughed. The
burly man made a guttural noise that could have been a laugh, handed Don a mirror,
and gathered up his instruments.

Don looked in the mirror and turned his head from side to
side, examining his new look. Now set in
each of his still throbbing earlobes was a small perfect diamond.

They were one carat diamond stud earrings, mounted in platinum.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Will and Don could afford bigger diamonds but
they needed to be able to justify the diamonds in any undercover disguise and
the two and a half thousand dollars each pair of these cost was quite enough.

Will leaned down so that he could look in the mirror with
Don. Matching earrings sparkled in Will’s
ears. The jubilant grin on Will’s face
banished any resentment that Don had for the pain in his ears.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Will’s arms slid around Don’s shoulders and
Don gripped Will’s hands in his own.

Don felt his chest tighten with emotion.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> He was marked now, branded as belonging to
Will and Will to him. It meant more than
the engagement ring that Don had given Kim.
This was more permanent, more lasting.
Just like his love for Will. He
felt happy and scared and excited and … just really, really happy

“Hmm,” Will said, rubbing his cheek against Don’s hair.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “I feel like we should be heading from here
to a Honeymoon Suite.”

“You mean we’re not?”
Don said, still examining his new earrings.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “I thought I was gonna get a reward for all
this pain.”

“Oh, you’ll get a reward,” Will murmured in his ear.style='mso-spacerun:yes'> “I have some w:st="on">Champagne chilling at home.”

“Really?” style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Don smiled.
“When did you set that up?”

Will’s voice dropped ever deeper, so Don felt it more than
heard it. “Have you ever licked cold w:st="on">Champagne off of warm skin?style='mso-spacerun:yes'> Tasted
Champagne goose bumps?”

Don’s eyes widened and he quickly set down the mirror and
got out of the metal chair. “Where’s
that limo?”