1. Three Little Words

"I love you."

Sam looked up from the paper. "What?"

"You 'eard me."

"Pretend like I didn't." Sam sat back on the sofa in shock. Gene lounged in his chair, finishing his post-lunch cigarette, his feet on his desk. It was a slow day in CID and everyone had scattered for lunch. Gene sent Sam out for chippie and when he got back, they ate in Gene's office mostly in silence. Afterwards Gene simply relaxed, smoking, while Sam caught up on the news, and it felt pretty domestic. Just not that domestic.

"I love you."

"Were there 'shrooms on your chippie?"

"Eh?"

"Psychedelic drugs. In your food."

"You'd know better than me, Mr. Trip-the-light-fantastic."

"Okayyyy…you feelin' ill?"

"No. What's with the interrogation?" Gene glared at him.

"Guv, you just declared your love for me. Did you miss that part?"

"No, I said it and I meant it. You're the one flounderin' about, 'ere."

Sam nodded, definitely feeling like he was floundering. "I still think I missed something."

"Such as?"

"Why…well…what…hmm…" Sam stalled, knew he was stalling, and unable to stop himself.

Gene just frowned.

"Do you mean, like, brotherly love?" Sam rubbed his chin.

"If I did I'd say: 'Sam, I love you like a brother.' That's what I'd say. Pretty sure." Gene pretended like he was thinking carefully about it.

"Like a son?"

Gene squinted in disgust.

"Okay, I give up. What are you talking about?"

Gene lowered his feet off the desk and stared at him. "You are a div, Sam Tyler. A nancy fairy poofy div, if you can't figure this out."

"The only answer I can reasonably give to this problem is…"

"It's a problem?" Gene folded his arms.

"You are my DCI, my Guv. My friend, I like to think on good days when I've 'ad enough to drink…"

"Ha bloody ha."

"But last I checked we are not…er…" Sam blushed. He was not opposed to the idea of 'er' but with Gene Hunt, it seemed an impossibility. Sam stewed everyday in his need for the man, but could not imagine a straighter heterosexual than his DCI. Who was now declaring his love for him?

"Three words, Tyler. Not so difficult to say when you mean it. Learned that from Stu."

"You did?"

"Yeah." Gene put out his cigarette and drummed his fingers on his desk. "Someone you love dies on yeh, and you never get a chance to tell 'im that you love 'im, then you learn damn quick to say it when you mean it, when you get that chance."

Sam did not know how to answer that and looked away from Gene's grief, but felt his fierce, green eyes boring into him.

"Sam?"

"…yeah?"

"I love you."

Sam turned back to look at Gene, knowing that he looked like an idiot with the broad, foolish smile on his face. "I love you too, Gene."

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