Joseph

Saturday, December 12, 2002

Night

Hours went by with no text, call, or anything from him. The only thing that kept me sane was the couch and looney tunes on the tv, which seemed more like background noise at this point.

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Alex

We really need to talk. Call me

I waited on a response, hoping he'd send me something, anything...

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Minutes passed by and my hope passed with it. The silence of the night and the chill in the air made the hairs on my arms rise. Normally, I'd be fine with it, but with everything going on and having to take time off work, It dawned on me how lonely I am. The doorbell rang, startling me. I hoped for Alex, but I knew it wouldn't be him.

"Who is it?" I shouted.

"Sebastian!" I opened the door, to his face bruised and cut up.

"What happened!" I rushed, pulling him inside.

"Got in a fight with some guy..." he groaned, as I sat him down on the couch.

I went into the kitchen to get the medkit, I always kept after the one time he came home bruised like this. I plopped back on the couch, pulling him closer. "Sebastian..." I sighed, trying my hardest not to lecture him. "This is why you shouldn't drink."

With the alcohol-soaked piece of cotton, I gently patted his cuts. He hissed in pain, but let me patch him up. "I know... It's just hard without you," he murmured, massaging my palm.

I moved my hand away, putting band-aids over the small cuts. "Sebastian, you have to learn to do things on your own." I got up, putting the kit back in the kitchen. "What happened to glasses?"

He chuckled, joining me in the kitchen. "Glasses? That's what you call him?"

"Well, he wasn't memorable enough to remember the name."

He smirked, taking a glass from the cabinet. "You're right, he wasn't..." he trailed. " but after you defended me, I broke it off with him."

"You remember that?"

He chuckled briefly before hissing in pain. "I was drunk but not drunk enough to not remember..." he stammered as he poured some orange juice into the glass. "You could have just let me stay there drunk, but you stood up for me, even after everything I did..."

"Sebastian, if you're trying to suggest what I think, then you're wrong."

He took a sip of the orange juice, wiping his mouth. "I wasn't suggesting anything; Just letting you know I appreciate you."

"Okay thanks, so why are you here?"

He leaned on the counter, taking small sips. "Maybe I want another chance, Joseph."

My eyes rolled to the back of my head. "So my assumption was right."

He put the glass down, looking around the kitchen. "He hasn't moved in yet?"

"Sebastian, it's too early for that."

"But it's early enough for him to meet your parents?"

I sneered, walking into the living room. "What do you want from me, Sebastian?"

"I want to know why you let him break us up, why you'd just throw me away like that!" he screamed, his face a mix of rage and sadness.

"Sebastian, we tried, and it didn't work."

He just looked at me in pure disbelief. "Who even are you anymore? I loved you, Joseph. You ended the relationship, not me!" He pulled me closer, holding my waist. "I want my baby back." Staring at my lips, he smiled. "My husband back..."

He knew what he was doing with that husband comment, and it worked. His face inched closer to mine and for a moment I wanted him, but Alex crashed into my head and I couldn't. Forcing his hands off me, I took a few steps back. "I've moved on, Sebastian..."

"NO! We were having problems, and he used that to his advantage." He rubbed his head like usually did when he was upset. "He stole the one thing that mattered to me..."

"Sebastian, it wasn't like that..."

"Then what was it like, Joseph? I begged for you back, just to lose you to someone else..." It always hurt me to see him cry. But it hurt more now than ever. "What do I have to do to get you back?" he sobbed, taking my hand. "I'll stop drinking and we can get married and have kids as long as it's with you!"

"Sebastian, I'm sorry, I should have just-" the realization that I had cheated robbed me of any words. The guilt, the weight of it all just hit me like a tidal wave. "I'm sorry, okay?"

"I don't want a sorry I want you, Joseph. I realized how much you meant to me after being away from you. Every little thing, right down to your beautiful smile when I kissed you and the way you'd cuddle up to me at night when I was upset. Even the sweet taste of your lips after you'd sneak candy..."

The doorbell rang as I opened my mouth to respond. We both looked at each other before I opened it to Alex. He was wearing a pair of basketball shorts with a t-shirt. He looked upset, but it didn't matter cause so was I.

"I've been texting you all day. Where have you been?"

"Busy," he responded, moving past me. His eyes landed on Sebastian. "What the fuck is he doing here?"

Sebastian balled his fist up, staring him down. "Taking back, what's mine."

Alex chuckled, running his hand through his hair. "He's yours?"

Sebastian walked up to him with a glare I'd never seen from him. "You snaked your way into my relationship!" he fumed, swinging at him. Alex swiftly dodged it, head-butting him, knocking him to the ground. He grabbed his shirt. Punching his face over and over. Every hit was stronger than the last.

"Alex! Stop!" I shouted, pulling him off of him.

Sebastian's face was bruised and bloodied as he slowly got up, stumbling to the door. I tried helping him, but he pushed me away. "Is that the person you want to be with?" he whimpered, walking out. My eyes turned to Alex, whose gaze was like fire itself.

"Why the fuck was he here?"

"Where have you been?"

"Where I was doesn't fucking matter, Joseph. Why was that dickhead with you!?"

"Alex! Answer my question!"

"It doesn't fucking matter, Joseph!"

"I'm tired of stressing over you! That patient that died. They found messages about me on his phone! warnings." At this point, my voice was nothing but pure fury. "So I'm sorry if I wanna know about where you are or what you're talking about! I don't want to lose you!"

He opened his mouth to say something, but I didn't care to hear. "You know a cop came around here asking about you? And you wanna know what I told him?"

"You fucked me over." a small hint of disappointment dawned on his face. "Like everyone else does..."

"No, Alex! I told him that the voice didn't sound like you, but it did sound like that guy you were arguing with earlier." I wrapped my fingers in his. "So tell me, who was he?"

"Nobody..." he groaned.

"Alex, they think you caused my patient's death." His whole body tensed up, and this was probably the first time I'd ever seen fear in his eyes. "I can't help if you don't tell me."

"His name is Ryan!" he blurted out. "Who put me as a suspect?"

"Somebody named Rachel."

He balled his already bruised fist up. "That fucking bitch!" he shouted, going for the door.

I grabbed his hand, stopping him. "Alex, listen to me" he tried getting out of my grasp, but I slammed him into the door, pinning him. "Listen to me, for fuck's sake! Did you have anything to do with his DEATH!"

He stared at me in fear. "No, he was my friend."

"Pete told me about what happened between you guys. You're lying to me Alex..." his face scrunched up into a frown. "Don't get upset, he's not going to say anything."

I could visibly see all the anger flush from his face. Only to be replaced with a much sadder, more genuine expression. He let down a few walls for once and seeing that made me want that side more. There's a reason for his behavior. He's just not telling me.

"Can we talk? Without the lies or anger involved?"

He was frustrated, but nodded, avoiding my gaze. But I didn't want that I needed to hear it. "Alex!" I snapped, lifting his chin staring into his bright blue eyes. "Can we?"

"Yes..."

I let go of him, going into the kitchen. "Before I grill you, what do you want to eat?" I asked, looking at the mountain of groceries.

There was a long silence before he spoke up. "Why haven't you given up on me, Joseph?"

That question felt odd, in the sense that why hadn't I given up? After all, the secrets, lies, and red flags. Like Sebastian, I felt the urge to make him better, to help him, but it seems like that always ends with me hurt.

"Cause I care about you, Alex." My eyes went to him, and his now bare chest. "Why would you ask me that?"

He pressed his lips against mine, slowly maneuvering me out of the kitchen and into the living room. The tension between us felt like back in my office, that same vulnerable but caring side of him. His tongue explored every inch of my mouth, yearning for my affection. The heat in my body rose, but that wasn't enough as he began unbuttoning my blazer and then my shirt. Exposing my chest.

But my question lingered in my mind as his focus shifted to my neck, where he left marks wherever he could. "Alex, talk to me," I grumbled as his hand moved down to my belt that held the huge bulge in my pants. I stopped him, wrapping his fingers in mine. "Talk to me, please..."

His eyes told me he was holding something. "You're the only person in my life who hasn't abandoned me, Joseph..."

My heart pounded like no other hearing that. It only cemented the want to be there for him. "What about your mother or father?"

He scoffed, plopping down on the couch. "She's a piece of shit and that dickhead is dead, and no, I didn't kill him."

Sitting beside him, I tangled my fingers in his, holding tight. Seeing him open up for the first time felt good. I just wanted him to be happy.

"I didn't think you did, and why is she a piece of shit?"

His eyes started to water and his grip on my hand got even stronger. "She let them lock me up..."

It was as if every memory hurt him. He couldn't even look at me. "Alex..." I moved his gaze back to me, wiping away his tears. "I'm here."

He just played with my fingers. "My father was abusive and one night they got into an argument..." He sniffled, trying to control his voice. "And it turned physical quickly so someone called the cops and-" Tears began to stream down his cheeks. "He blamed me, and when they questioned my mother, she said nothing!" All I could do was push his head to my chest as his cry turned into a sob "She said nothing! Not to the police or the neighbors! She let them lock me up!" he cried, as I comforted him the best I could.

"I won't leave, I promise..."

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Who's your favorite Actress/Actor? Lemme know in the comments!

Hope you enjoyed the Chapter!

Sincerely, R.J