Stronger Together (bxb) ✔

Chapter 26 - Bryan

Bryan's POV

"And then he gave me his number!" Diego concludes telling me in great detail about how he met Chase four days ago at the hospital. "He's so sweet! And his face lit up when I gave the snacks! Bryan, he's so cute! I don't think you understand how cute he is." Diego's eyes are glazed over with a lovestruck look and he's wearing a giant, goofy grin.

His grin fades after a few seconds and he slumps back in his chair. "But he didn't call. He never called. And I called him twice, yesterday and this morning." Diego lets out a sigh and runs his hands through his hair. "Did I say something wrong?"

"It doesn't seem that way. Just give him some time," I say, trying to comfort Diego.

Jesse called me this morning in tears, saying that Chase was feeling down and that he hasn't left his room in the past two days. I was shocked because I've never heard Jesse like that before. He was besides himself saying that he was a terrible brother and that he didn't know what to do.

While I was distraught at Jesse's distress, I couldn't help but feel a little elated that he chose to share his vulnerability with me. I managed to calm him down but I still don't know any details about what happened.

"Do you think we can convince Dean to tell us what's going on with the twins when he gets here?" Diego has a hopeful gleam in his eyes when he asks this and I don't quite have the heart to crush his dreams so I just shrug.

Believe me I've tried to get Dean to spill! The amount of lunches I've bribed him with within the last few weeks in hopes of finding out something is insane! But to no avail. He refuses to tell me. Maybe if both Diego and I gang up on him, he might talk.

"I just want to date Chase or at least have him pay attention to me. I'll even settle for a text. Just one," Diego whines.

Good god, is this what I sound like when I talk about Jesse! Diego has literally been going on about Chase for the past hour and a half, talking about how sweet and perfect Chase is. Dean was supposed to be here an hour ago but he called to say that he would be late.

"I know you really like him but Jesse said if you're genuinely interested in Chase you have to be patient. So be patient with him and take things slow. I shouldn't have to tell you not to rush him or hurt him in any way." I tell him this, not only because Jesse would have both mine and Diego's heads on stakes if he hurts Chase, but because Chase honestly seems so shy and sweet that I would really hate for anything to happen to him.

Diego looks me dead in the eyes with a look of resolve. "I know. And I can wait. I want to wait for him. I'll wait as long as I have to because I would do anything to see that beautiful smile of his. His smile is so perfect, actually everything about him is perfect!" And just like that his sadness at Chase not paying any attention to him is replaced by a look of pure adoration.

I really hope I wasn't this sappy when talking about Jesse.

"Oh look Diego has that look on his face that you get when talking about Jesse," Dean's voice calls out as he approaches us with a huge smile.

I furrow my eyebrows at him and grumble, "I do not look that ridiculous."

"You're one to talk. You should see the look on your face when you talk about Shawn," Diego shoots back and moves over on the couch so that Dean can join him.

"Whatever man, Shawn is the best and I'm making sure he knows how much he means to me," Dean says with a soft smile on his lips. "What-" Dean's cell phone starts ringing and he frowns when he sees the caller ID and quickly excuses himself.

Diego looks at me with a raised eyebrow and I nod before we stealthily follow Dean. We find him perched on the edge of the bed in the guest room, staring out of the window with his phone pressed to his ear. We watch him through the partially opened door. "Yes, I sent over the CCTV footage from the hospital... A witness?... Diego Russo?..."

My eyes widen in shock at the mention of Diego's name and I turn to him for an explanation but he's wearing the same bewildered expression as I am.

"Oh I don't suppose we got the lab results... Ok, let me know when the restraining orders on the other three are processed. I'm sure that will give him some peace of mind." Dean hangs up and jumps when he opens the door and almost collides with us.

Diego crosses his arms; his sharp eyes seem to be carving holes into Dean's face, who completely ignores him and heads back downstairs to the living room. Throwing himself on the couch adjacent to Dean, Diego raises his eyebrow at him and asks, "Your sexual assault case is connected to Chase?"

Dean ignores him, pretending to scroll through his phone. "I would bet $1,000 his phone is blank right now," Diego grumbles and crosses his arms, sulkily.

Dean lets out a light chuckle and puts his phone away. "Alright you caught me."

"Are you going to answer my question?" Diego asks again.

"Hypothetically, if my sexual assault case was connected to Chase, would it change your interest in Chase?" Dean retorts, leaning forward and linking his fingers together under his chin.

"Of course not," Diego replies immediately. "That doesn't make him any less perfect," Diego adds with a soft smile.

Dean hums a response and proceeds with his next question. "Would it change the way you would act around Chase?"

Diego frowns. "No, why would I?"

"Do you plan on forcing Chase to do anything he's not ready for?" Dean continues his questioning with a thoughtful look.

Diego sits up and profusely shakes his head. "Definitely not! That would be insane!"

"Then why does it matter if Chase is connected to the sexual assault case or not?" Dean inquires to which Diego simply furrows his eyebrows; temporarily speechless.

I chuckle lightly as I come to the same conclusion that I'm sure Diego has come to. We aren't going to treat Chase any differently. We're not going to treat him like he's broken and pitiful. We would always have been kind and considerate towards him and accepted him with open arms. So like Dean said, it really doesn't matter because it won't change our perception of him or how we treat him.

"It doesn't matter," Diego whispers with a wide smile, relaxing back into the couch.

"Just to be clear this was all hypothetical. I am not confirming anything," Dean says sternly. "But I hope you'll treat Chase well."

Diego chuckles lightly. "Okay, I will take what you said with a grain of salt. And I will. I'll do everything I can to bring Chase nothing but happiness." I smile at his words since I can see the sincerity in his eyes and I know that he is all in, which leads me to believe that Chase will be in good hands.

"Samantha told me that you had to give a statement at the police station today?" Dean inquires after a moment.

"Yes, but they never said what it was in relation to. I just had to describe the man that was staring at Chase and Chase's reaction to the man," Diego explains and Dean hums a response.

Diego told me all about his trip to the police station this morning and we mused over what was going on between Chase and the guy with whom he was having a staring match. If that guy really was one of his assaulters, I can't help but be grateful and relieved that Diego was at the hospital exactly when he needed to be to help Chase.

Dean tells us about his week which is basically just him talking about Shawn and I can't help but gush about Jesse and how perfect he is.

Diego of course goes on about how adorable and perfect Chase is and how much he misses him. "I'm going to call him," Diego suddenly interjects, fishing his phone out of his pocket and dialing Chase's number before quickly exiting the room.

I contemplate whether I should stop him or not because from the pure look of determination on his face, he's not going to stop calling until Chase answers his phone.

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