Below the Mythical Surface (Completed)

Uncharted Feelings

"Morning, sunshine," Link chimed as he slid in and closed the door behind him.

"Mornin' bo."

"You been callin' me that a lot lately; bo. Any reason for that?" He asked casually, sliding his seatbelt across his chest a securing it with a satisfying click.

"I hadn't noticed," Rhett fibbed, turning to place his hand on the back of Link's head rest to reverse smoothly into the road. It was only once the gear shift was switched back into drive that Link spoke again.

"Ah. Alright then. Just wonderin'."

Truth be told, Rhett did know why. It came out automatically yesterday during filming, a word they'd used so often when they were children. A calming, comforting term of endearment. One that held with it the power to clarify any uncomfortable situation. That was why he'd used it. To calm Link during a moment of weakness. But he'd kept it up all day. He couldn't stop, letting it spill into the following. And now, he thought, he was using it comfort himself. To remind him that Link was still Link and Rhett was still Rhett. Regardless of painful feelings that were twisting his insides like they were attached to some torture device. He needed the word. He needed the meaning.

"I can stop if you want me to..." he offered, hoping Link wouldn't reject it.

"Nah, man. It's fine. A little trip down memory lane is all."

Rhett grunted his response, thrumming his fingers against the same wheel that just yesterday he had pounded until his knuckles were sore. The memory was one that, unlike the rest of his thoughts, he chose to push down. He didn't want to think about the weakness that he'd let shine through, preferring only to wallow in the self pity of not having the attention from Link that he wanted.

"So... are we cool?" Link asked after miles of quiet. Rhett rolled his eyes, but knew that his friend was never one that could settle in a comfortable silence, and he guessed that it would have come up at some point in time.

"Like iceburgs," Rhett answered, eyes still on the road, though he could tell that Link was dissecting those two words like crazy.

The rest of the ride was in strained silence, and even though they both were courteous once they got to the studio, the coolness between them had increased. Link's at least was self made, with him focusing on keeping his hands and knees as much to himself as possible. A date night with Christy has already been arranged for later in the week, and as long as he could just relax...well, relax as well as he could being him, everything would work it's way back from uncomfortable feelings to just warm affection and friendship once more.

"Dating etiquette," Rhett mumbled to Stevie once he saw today's topic. "First the kissing for charity and now a mock dinner on camera with Link? Are ya'll trying to destroy my marriage?"

The was a small chuckle behind the question and Stevie sighed in relief. Shows were decided ahead of time in a schedule, but still the fates seemed to be aligning just to get Link and him to be in a perpetually filmed bromance.

"We can always just do a few cooking segments," Stevie offered, her face going slightly pink.

"Even worse if I have to listen to Link moaning when he's got delicious things in his mouth," Rhett sighed. "No problem. We'll be fine. Thirty plus years of teasing will get us through awkwardness."

Rhett grins just enough to convince Stevie that he'll be fine. Link was a whole other matter. Even across the set Rhett could see the blue eyes widen in panic as he say the topic sheet for the day. Apparently he also forgot that today was dating etiquette day.

By the time the lights came on and filming started, Link was barely hanging on to his smile. Only Rhett knew him well enough to sense the stress in the smaller man's bottom jaw.