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Jake’s growing attraction to his friend was even more disturbing. It was one thing to know that your friend was bisexual and quite another to realize that some strange biological event was changing your own sexuality to match. That was the real reason why he was sitting in Duncan’s dressing room. He kept trying to wrap his brain around it all. A lifetime of being straight and now he was hot for his best friend. He sighed then rolled his eyes, disgusted with himself. Get over it, dude. So you have the hots for Duncan. It’s not a big deal.
    “Hey, everything okay?” Duncan called out, sauntering over to the couch where Jake slumped.
    Jake blinked his eyes open, startled. Shit . He looked down at the clipboard in his hands, hoping that the venue’s PAs weren’t incompetent. Because he clearly was. “Yeah,” he started to say then cleared his throat. “Yeah, I’m okay. I think I’m just tired.”
    Duncan frowned and sat down next to Jake, his right thigh pressing close. “Hey, I know things have been really weird lately.” Jake snorted. Duncan smirked, then they both laughed.
    “Yeah, you could say that again. The unrequited lust was quite the shocker, man.” Jake reasoned that he’d never been one to keep his mouth shut, why start now? The elephant in the room was driving them both insane.
    Duncan stared at Jake for a moment, clearly surprised. Then he relaxed and chuckled, a hint of relief in the sound. “You wish, loser. And anyway, I’m not so sure it’s all that ‘unrequited’ anymore, eh?”
    Jake felt the smile fall from his face, and he looked away.
    “Hey, I’m sorry,” Duncan began then shut up when Jake slashed his hand through the air, feeling like an ass. He didn’t know why he was having such a hard time with this.
    “Jake—” Duncan tried again, sounding genuinely regretful. Jake felt his insides twist at the pain on his friend’s face. He wanted to kick himself. He loved Duncan. He knew that. He didn’t ever want Duncan to feel sorry for Jake’s lack of ability to deal with reality.
    “Duncan, it’s not your fault. And you’re right. It’s just, it takes some getting used to. This bond thing is fucking with me, you know?” Jake looked up to see Duncan nodding. Then he grimaced as they both felt Emma suddenly wake up in the back of their heads and start paying attention to their conversation. “I went through my whole life not really thinking about my sexuality. I liked girls and boobs, and I hung out with you, my best friend. Everything made sense and then wham!” Jake clenched his hand into a fist and smacked it onto his thigh. Duncan looked away, hunching his shoulders, and Jake tried to explain better. Anything to wipe that look of disappointment from his friend’s face. “Everything changes. I mean, I love you. I always did, but to know that you felt this way all along—” Jake broke off.
    “Jake, it’s not like I’m going to do anything,” Duncan began then stopped as Jake shook his head.
    “No, no, man, I know.” Jake sighed and took a deep breath. “It’s that I’m suddenly no longer sure I want you not to do anything.”
    Duncan blinked. Jake could feel his skin warming as his friend looked at him first with confusion, then with slowly dawning open affection, the frown that had been on his face melting away. Jake searched Duncan’s brown eyes, reassured by their warmth. He tried to send good feelings back to him, along with a plea for patience, and felt his heart trip when Duncan smiled. Fuck, he’s gorgeous. It was the sexiest thing Jake had ever seen, and he struggled to own up to that thought instead of denying it. He must have succeeded, because Duncan’s smile grew wider, more mischievous, and in the back of his mind, he sensed Emma’s surprise, then embarrassment. Jake grinned, suddenly amused.
    “So, basically, what you’re saying is that you’re suddenly feeling an attraction to me, am I getting that right?” Duncan said, his voice