"Good morning, gentlemen. What can I help you with today?" The brisk but pleasant voice greeted the two young men before they were well in the door of the furniture gallery. They turned to see a middle-aged woman in a silk dress suit coming in on determined approach. Her friendly smile dimmed a little as she gave their jeans and sport shirts the once over and Zach returned a stern, warning frown. Carefully drawn eyebrows lifted, then the smile returned to full force as she reached them and extended a hand. "I'm Mrs. Nieman."

Zach took the proffered hand but declined the invitation to introduction. "We're actually looking for everything. We have an entire apartment to furnish and we plan on doing it today. Are you a designer, or is there one available that we could speak to?"

The repetition of the 'we' had drawn a significant look from the woman, directed at Zach's hand resting lightly on the small of Jack's back. Manicured fingertips found the diamond cross at her throat and her manner cooled noticeably.

Zach let his warning look rise in voltage and she forced a professional smile. "I myself am just a sales associate, but I believe someone's here who will be perfect to help you. Please excuse me for a moment." And she clicked away without waiting for a response, hand still artfully to her throat.

Jack took advantage of the momentary privacy to brush light fingers along the hardened jaw. "If you're going to let that bother you, Zach, we might as well go back to the apartment and declare ourselves hermits."

Surprised from his irritation by the serious tone, Zach caught the tracing fingers gently. That moment's touch was worth more than an old biddy's entire existence. Focus on Jack. But explain. "I don't like subtle judgmentalism. I'd rather people say their piece and be done."

The earnest face was genuinely questioning. "So you can browbeat them into taking it back?"

Amazed irritation flared at that exact pegging of the contradictory truth. A ghost smile found his lips. "All right, so you know me too well already." The smile faded. "It just...gets to you after a while. Bigotry shouldn't be a hobby."

Jack smiled shyly at the acknowledgment of his insight but pointed out, "I haven't had a while, Zach. This is something new to me. I haven't figured out how to take it."

That tightness of I-refuse-to-panic was back in Zach's throat. "Not something you want to deal with, huh?"

Confusion followed quickly by absolute disbelief eased the ache. Jack looked at him very directly, speech soft and precise. "Zach. I. Am. Completely. In love with you. I was just thinking that what people have in their heads and their eyes and their tones of voice can't bother me unless I let it. After the way Kai played armed guard on our doorstep on Muir Island, I was honestly expecting a lot worse than a little cross clasping."

Zach had to chuckle, but it was pained. "She was protecting me from your bodyguard. You remember, the one with all the claws." Jack smiled at the teasing but Zach continued more seriously, "There are things, though, that you have to look out for, people who will..."

"Zach." Jack put a finger softly against his lips, those too wise depths showing briefly in the innocent eyes. "Let's just spend the day out here being ourselves. We can talk about whatever comes up tonight."

Before Zach could decide how to tell Jack just how remarkable he was, how amazing his insight, another determined step sounded on the hardwood floor.

A very slim man in an expensive suit came up to them with a wide grin. "Well, hello, and I'm Jeff. I was afraid Mrs. Nieman had scared you right out of the store. So narrow-minded. I hope she didn't give too much offense. She seems to think only a gay man can help gay men -- as if the furniture will look any different! -- but in this case you've benefited by the prejudice, because I can modestly say I'm the finest designer in the place. It's been a slow day, we can just sit down here if you like, now, and you are...?"

Jack flicked Zach a questioning glance, caught his amused acceptance of the friendly chatterbox, and offered his hand. "I'm Jack."

"Zach." He mimicked the gesture as they sat down on an overstuffed sofa in a display just off the main walk. "We have an apartment that needs the full treatment."

Jeff brought up the possibility of an on-site consultation, but Zach declined with the reiteration that they intended to finish this today. Jeff hesitated, then explained tactfully that delivery could take up to three weeks. There was a ten-percent surcharge for next day delivery.

Zach rested a light hand on Jack's jeans-clad leg and returned wryly that he didn't see that as an obstacle. He enjoyed dressing well, but he was discovering that there were definite amusements to be found in being underestimated.

He and Jeff discussed styles and periods briefly, but noting Jack's polite attentiveness as a lack of understanding, Zach suggested that they begin with a simple walk-through. Then he named a price range that brought a new light to Jeff's eyes and made Jack's hand tighten over his in shock.

"Oh, so something special." Jeff rose and led them towards a small glass fronted elevator at the rear of the store. "Let me guess. Newlyweds?"

Momentarily at a loss, Zach stammered, "Well, uhm, that is, we..."

"Yes, something like that, " Jack agreed easily, slipping his arm around Zach's waist. Zach looked floored but pleased and Jeff chuckled.

"Oh, how sweet. Well," he said innocently as they arrived at the next floor and stepped out. "Shall we begin with a bedroom suite?"

The rest of the session was pure entertainment. Zach paid strict attention to Jack's hands and eyes and Jeff picked it up quickly, dispelling any possible awkwardness. He discussed styles by example, invited them to touch fabrics and plop on sofas to test them, led them in a barefoot trek across carpet samples and followed up on Jack's unstated preferences without being obvious. They found all that they wanted in remarkably good time and arranged delivery for the next day.

The total price made Jack pale and Zach laughed. "That's less than I paid to do the last place and it didn't have a balcony. We just got the miraculous gift of an honest salesman."

"Now, sshh! You'll ruin my reputation," Jeff teased as he walked them to the door. As Jack preceded him into the mall corridor, Zach leaned back in to shake Jeff's hand.

"Perceptiveness is a valuable skill," he murmured, then let the heavy door close between them, leaving the delighted salesman staring at the hundred-dollar bill in his palm.

***