"That was not how it went. Come off it."

Billy laughed, brow wrinkling, and circled a finger around the edge of one of Dom's smooth shirt buttons. "Course it was. I have a flawless memory, Monaghan."

"Sure. After you take your ginseng. Ginko bisomething or other, what is it again?"

"You're such a flatterer. Really, stop. See, that's a blush, there."

Dom rearranged his shoulders across Billy's folded lap. "And anyway, I wouldn't forget something like that so easily."

"You were a mess," Billy said, shifting Dom's bangs back. "Jabbering and sweating. And in the helicopter they gave you something and you took it without even a second glance and sat in my lap the whole way back to camp."

"And you said that."

"I said that. I said that because you started it."

"I was bloody high."

"Oh, so now we're admitting it's possible?"

"Fine. Regale me with your tale again."

Billy grinned and passed a finger across Dom's lip. "You were shaking and wobbly. Rambled on for a bit. We hit an air pocket and the helicopter shook. Which we usual loved, remember? But you sat up and had this totally childish expression on your face. And you looked at me and said, 'Don't let go of me, Bill.' And I said, 'I have you.' Then you just stared like I'd said I'd grown a second head. From that afternoon on, I knew."

Dom sat up. "Yeah?"

"You still look at me like that sometimes," Billy said, smiling. "Every time you do I remember that fuckin' splinter and your whining."

"How painfully romantic of you." Dom kissed him. "I'm glad you have our best moments all sorted."

"Our very best, Dom."