THE BLOND CAREFULLY TRIED TO GUAGE JERICHO'S EXPRESSION WHILE EXPLAINING EVERYTHING HE COULD. The actual family business, Hunter, finding out Kylie went snooping around, and then the aftermath of him taking the fall for his brother.

"Couple days ago, he found out about you and I and said somethin' he shouldn't have, so I spun his fuckin' jaw. He's in worse condition than I am, so he'll be out of my hair for a lil' while. Still, he knows your name and face because if I didn't show him, he would've used other means to find out. And, I don't want or trust him near you."

Jericho didn't even bother hiding his exasperated expression. He dropped his head, breaking eye contact again and running hands over his face, and then fingered through his cornrows. Settling them on the back of his neck, mumbling something to himself before snapping back up and looking at him in shock.

"—ke knew Kylie too..."

Joseph missed the first part of his statement, voice muffled by the gold between his lips; he said it so fast, but the panicked expression on his face told him most of the story. He sat up as well. The quarterback felt his stomach drop, gently removing the chain from his open mouth and leaning forward.

"Baby. Slow down for me, okay? Who else knew her?"

His voice didn't come out as kind as he wanted it to, but this wasn't the kind of shit that warranted any sort of sugarcoating of the truth or indirect explanations.

"Zeke! He told me that he dated her at one point. Fucking cornered me in that damn bathroom after going through my phone. He thought y'all were some kind of psychopaths trying to run me out of town, but it was just your brother this whole time."

Ezekiel? Ezekiel... Zeke. He knew he recognized that fucking name, Kylie rarely ever mentioned him, and when she did, it was by nickname only. That's why that scumbag was still hovering around him. The only plus about it was that he obviously believed the lies Joseph instructed her to tell everyone.

He could hear his heart beating, blood rushing to his face while the tips of his ears began to burn; he clenched and unclenched his jaw. Joseph tried so hard, he did, to keep the other out of his mess. Hunter had somehow still managed to find a way to involve himself indirectly. He felt like shit.

Couldn't help but also feel like if he'd been honest about his feelings and his family at the very beginning, none of this might've happened, and they could've been happily together a long time ago. Jericho reached out to touch him, brows furrowed and his amber eyes warm with concern and affection.

"What is it?"

'Cho didn't hide behind that mask of his, instead letting him see every single emotion that flitted across his face. The blond carefully pulled him back into his lap while covering his hands with his own and burying his cheeks into the cool palms.

It was the only thing keeping him grounded. He was shaking, heat teeming underneath the surface of his skin. His carefully constructed mask was getting more difficult to maintain lately, give it a few more weeks and they probably wouldn't even recognize him at school.

"Joey?"

He looked up at him, frowning, his usual ivy green probably darkening to juniper, asking him a question while kissing the fingertips cradling his head.

"When was the last time he put his hands on you?"

Jericho's eyes widened slowly, but then he released a breath. He looked exhausted. The quarterback just wanted to take him away to a place where he'd smile more often. Somewhere Hunter and Ezekiel couldn't even dream about getting to him, but that was just wishful thinking.

"My mom invited him over for dinner a few weeks ago without letting me know beforehand. I provoked him, and he..."

The brown-haired boy dropped his arms and glanced off in a different direction.

"Look at me, Jericho. What'd he do?"

He returned his gaze for a moment.

"...Choked me."

Said it so quietly, Joseph almost didn't catch it. This happened a few weeks ago, not years. This could've been prevented. Didn't want to sound like a control freak, but he wouldn't have let him leave last time if he'd known who he was. He would've beat Zeke's ass in the parking lot, dragged the other to his own car, and drove away. That piece of shit choked him?

"Call him."

Jericho froze.

"Joseph—"

"He knows your address, right? Be a doll and ask him to drop by for me."

He was mad now, fully. Jericho tried his very best to talk him out of it, though. Running his fingers through his hair and telling him it wasn't worth it, He almost folded. The blond didn't want him anywhere near his house again either, but it didn't matter.

The Kylie situation was his fault, 'Cho was hurt because of loose ends, and it was his responsibility to fix it before shit really got out of hand.

"I love you. I also want to bleed that fucker dry." Joseph smiled. "But, I'd never be able to see you again if I did, so I'll try not to hurt him too badly, sweetheart, promise." He kissed his forehead. "Ask him to come here. I just wanna talk, clear things up. You understand, right?"

——————————————————

Joseph was deathly quiet. Sprawled out on his couch, thick arms folded over his tank-top-clad chest and staring at the front door of his house like it was the devil itself. Honestly? The shorter boy didn't even want the two of them to meet. It'd be like two different planets finally colliding, and that would only make for an astronomical amount of destruction.

He didn't want to see Ezekiel again so soon either. Ever again, frankly, he'd made his peace surprisingly fast. The man hadn't changed one bit; at the beginning, he thought maybe they could forgive and forget and then go on their separate ways. So, he gave him a chance. That was one of the biggest mistakes he'd ever made.

Everything up until now chucked that idea straight out of the window. Zeke lied to his face, again, for the hundredth time. His latest trick? Spewing some bullshit about not wanting to hurt him anymore when he really just wants his chew toy back—used to do the same thing to him when they were younger all the time.

So, if Joseph were committed to clearing things up right now, he'd let him handle it. It made sense, though. As far as Jericho knew, the only reason Ezekiel was still bothering them is that he's got false information on Joseph. He'd have no other reason to be around without exposing himself.

The phone call was insufferable. At first, he'd texted him, but seconds after he sent the message Zeke was on the other end of the line. Asking why he messaged him so late and why. He didn't lie, not necessarily, but he wasn't going to tell all the details either, not after the shit he pulled.

He just said he wanted to continue their conversation about Joseph and Kylie in person. He mentioned his mom wasn't home but left out that the man in question was. Zeke wasn't stupid, though, so he more than likely knew something was up.

So, here they were, waiting for the star of the shit-show because it was going to begin very soon and it wasn't going to be fun. Jericho lingered near the staircase, which was just as close to the door as it was the living room, in case he needed to intervene.

Wasn't sure how much he'd be able to do or how far he'd get in the state he was in, though. It was also where the quarterback sat him after carrying him down the stairs because his legs still weren't working as well as they should've been.

He ran a hand over his durag, having to put that on too, so he didn't look as fucked as he felt. The other boy wouldn't even let him change out of the oversized shirt or pull on a longer pair of pants. He guessed that Joseph wanted Ezekiel to see him like this, well-fucked by the guy he hated.

And he made sure that everything he did was very easy to see. So, if push came to shove, he wouldn't be able to stop either of them, would probably just get in the way or get hurt. It was frustrating.

"Joey, no fighting."

The blond tore his nearly murderous eyes away from the door for a moment and then onto him, expression changing and a warm grin replacing it.

He leaned forward, putting his elbows on his knees and using his thumbs to hold his chin. Long golden strands of hair softly fell over his eyes when he tilted his head.

He shrugged, "That's all up to him." and then went back to melting the door handle with his gaze.

A few more quiet minutes passed until headlights finally shone into the living room window. Joseph stood up from the couch when he heard the car lock outside and then a knock at the front door. The brown-haired boy quickly called out to him before he could answer it.

"Baby, please."

The quarterback turned on his heel, walked back over to the stairs, and crouched down in front of him. Taking his hand in his and massaging the knuckles absentmindedly. He hummed, prompting the other to continue speaking.

"Promise me you won't do anything crazy?"

Joseph held his pleading eyes, planting his lips softly on the pads of his fingers, the palm of his hand, and then the pulse in his wrist. He shivered, trying to pull away from the contact, but the blond's grip tightened. Not enough to hurt but enough for him to know he wasn't getting out of it until he let him, the taller boy pouted.

"You're mine. He hurt you. I only hit people who deserve it, and he's earned much more than that in my book." Jericho almost protested, but he continued, "However since you've asked me so nicely, I'll promise not to be violent. But, if he tries to touch you again, or says somethin' smart, what happens, happens. Deal?"

The brown-haired boy sighed, nodding his head at the compromise and then leaning forward, sealing the deal with what was supposed to be a short kiss. But, instead Joseph licked into his mouth, not letting him breathe again until his bottom lip was glossy and swollen.

Nearly climbing over his body on the staircase to pin him down. Another knock sounded at the door, louder this time; Ezekiel would've been yelling had it not been one in the morning.

"The... door." He panted.

The blond growled, "He can wait."

Jericho rolled his eyes. No, Zeke couldn't; there wasn't a patient bone in his body. He still let the other boy smooch him one last time, though. Watching him lean back to admire his handiwork.

"Now you stay put, sweet thing."

He strode over to the door, not even bothering to check who it was just to make sure, and yanked it open. Watching Ezekiel's expression morph from one of slight annoyance, confusion, and then anger would probably be the only kick he received out of things this evening.

"Ezekiel, right?"

Joey offered his hand for a shake, the forced smile on his face betraying any actual semblance of peace. The raven-haired man made a speedy recovery. Not even sparing the taller boy a second glance aside from the hickeys on him before seeking out the other occupant of the house.

His eyes roamed over Jericho, assessing his current condition. The durag first, his marked throat, then the shirt that clearly didn't belong to him. Lastly, the bruises on his thighs.

Now, he didn't bruise all that easily in the first place, but Joseph's big handprints weren't that hard to see either. Zeke probably had an idea of what to expect, but he'd take a stab that it wasn't this by a long shot.

"Who th—"

The quarterback shoved him back outside with one hand when he tried to step past him and clicked his tongue, "Woah, hold on now." letting out a chuckle, "you don't get to come inside unless he wants you to." Flicking his head in the brown-haired boy's direction.

And Jericho didn't know if he meant to phrase it like that intentionally, but Ezekiel might've had the same thought he did. His face twisted up, knocking away the heavy hand that crinkled up his T-shirt.

"Am I allowed to come inside, Parris?"

He gritted out mockingly, still sneering at Joseph, who was blocking his path.

Jericho pretended to think about it, "stop calling me that. You just got here, and you've already found something to be mad about. I know you're not going to apologize to Joseph, so no, you can stay on the porch."

The blond shrugged, "you heard him."

"Wait, wait... Turner?" An ugly smirk of realization settled on his face, he cocked his head "So you're the psycho that's been fucking my—"

The quarterback grabbed Ezekiel by the mouth and marched him backward, throwing an apologetic look Jericho's way before slamming the door shut behind them. He should've known this was going to happen.