𝙼𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚍 𝚝𝚘 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙱𝚊𝚍 𝙱𝚘𝚢 (𝚋𝚡𝚋)

5.

"Baby." Jaxon reaches out grab Shawn arms as he aggressively turns the key to their apartment.

Once inside, Shawn throws his keys down on their counter before going into the fridge to grab a beer.

Jaxon follows him in and closes the front door. "Shawn."

"What!?" He snaps.

"Hey. Don't use that tone with me. You know you can talk to me, okay?" Jaxon reaches out and grabs Shawn's hand.

"I know that. I just...Fuck! We weren't even doing anything! We never even kissed once in that stupid fucking place."

"I-I know." Jaxon nods his head.

"God, people are so...Close-minded. It's so fucking annoying I just wanna-."

"Calm down," Jaxon grabs Shawn's beer from him before grabbing both of his hands. "Please, calm down."

"How are you so-."

"Because...I just...I wanna pretend it didn't happen. It was humiliating but what that man said wasn't true. We can't let it get to us like this."

Shawn takes a deep breath and nods. "Yeah...I know. I know and I'm sorry."

Jaxon smiles before leaning in to hug him. "All is forgiven," He pulls away, continuing to hold his hands. "Sorry, our breakfast date was ruined."

Shawn chuckles. "Yeah. Seems like dates aren't our thing right now, huh?"

**
Jaxon left the apartment an hour later as he had class. Shawn grabs his iPad from the coffee table before walking out of the apartment.

He walks down the hall and knocks on the door. Gavin answers the door, dressed in a pair of pajama pants, lacking a shirt. "Wassup man."

"Can I hang with you for a little?"

Gavin steps out of the way and lets Shawn inside. "Sorry for the...Mess."

"You and Chantel alright?"

Gavin scratches the back of his head. "We're...going through a...Thing."

Shawn sits down on the couch. "Uh oh. That sounds bad. What's going on?"

Gavin sits next to him, leaning back on the couch. "Oh, you know. Work...and bills and...arguments."

"Fuck, I'm sorry man."

Gavin turns his head to look at Shawn. "It's alright. Not all of us can be you and Jaxon."

"Damn...Y'all gonna break up?"

"Hope not. I love her too much for that shit." Gavin sighs and shakes his head. "It'll be fine. We're fine. How about you and Jax? What's new and exciting?"

"We went out on a breakfast date and our waiter was this ugly homophobic piece of shit."

Gavin rolls his eyes. "Oh god. What'd he have to say?"

"That we stay inside. Not spread out infectious diseases to other people. Just bullshit." Shawn rolls his eyes.

"What a piece of shit."

"I should've taken my fuckin' fork and jammed it in that fuckers leg. Ruined our date."

Gavin chuckles. "Well, why didn't you?"

Shawn sighs. "My ever so sweet and calm fiancé handled it like the mature adult he is. He had to calm me down."

"See? Perfect match for each other."

**
"What an asshole! Are you okay?" Chantel asks Jaxon.

"Mhm," Jaxon nods. "He was just being nasty. Totally unnecessary. But, it's not like I've never heard words like that before."

"That doesn't make it okay, Jax."

"No, it doesn't but...I can't really do anything about it now." Jaxon sighs and grabs his drink from the vending machine. "Whatever. How have you been?"

"Oh, there's been better days," Chantel says as she sits down.

Jaxon frowns and sits next to her. "Meaning?"

Chantel grabs her computer out of her bag. "Nothing," She taps the space bar a few times before sighing. "Gav and I are in a rough spot. That's all."

"Oh no. What's going on?"

"We just argue all the time. And...He works like a lot...I feel like we're on two different planets."

"Have you talked to him? About how you feel?"

"Why should I? It'll just turn into another argument. I don't know...I-I really love Gavin. But...It's been so hard lately."

"Want my advice?"

Chantel glances at him and shrugs. "Sure."

"Look, rough spots happen all the time. And, I know it's hard right now but...The good parts are worth the hard times. I think you guys just...Need to talk. And learn compromise."

Chantel smiles. "I know. I just feel so...Bleh. You know?"

"I get it. I just think you guys need to figure out how to compromise better. I mean, what are the arguments about?"

"Well, last night he had asked me to make dinner like I haven't been at school all day. He got so mad when I told him I was tired."

Jaxon furrows his brows. "Really?"

"Yeah. All I said was I was tired but if he needed I would make him dinner. Then he starts yelling about how he'll just order something instead."

**
"I literally told her it was fine. That's I would order food if she didn't want to cook me dinner."

Shawn raises his eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yeah! She's...She's being so like...Pissy lately and I haven't done anything. I mean-...I'm paying for our apartment, and groceries, and I can't get a simple dinner?"

"Damn, it seems like you guys are...Definitely going through a rough spot."

"It's just annoying. I mean, it's just small things that can tick either of us off. I don't like it like this. It sucks."

"So talk to her man. Same thing you told me the other day. You guys are on what, your second year together? Things aren't always gonna be picture perfect, trust me."

"I know. It's just hard. I mean, I love her so much," Gavin sighs and stands up. "It shouldn't be this hard."

**
Jaxon unlocks the front door with his house key, stepping inside the apartment. He sets his keys down and looks around the apartment for Shawn.

He slips his shoes off and places them on the shoe rack before walking around the apartment. "Babe?! I'm home!"

Kiko runs into the living room, rubbing against Jaxon's ankles. She starts meowing and Jaxon smiles at her. "Hi." He leans down and pets her a few times.

"Babe?" Jaxon walks into the bedroom and sees Shawn asleep on the bed. He smiles at him before sitting down next to him.

"Wakey wakey," Jaxon pokes Shawn's arm a few times. "I'm home."

Shawn squints his eyes, reaching his hand back to touch Jaxon's arm. "Oh, hey," He clears his throat. "Hi, baby."

"Hi. I just got back from tutoring."

"Oh good. How was it?" Shawn sits up a little in the bed, though his eyes were still half closed.

"It was alright. Super easy stuff."

"Mhm, right." Shawn lets out a yawn. "Other than that...How was today?"

"Good. I hung out with Chantel."

"Oh? Did you?"

"Mhm. You?"

"Hung out with Gav."

"Oh really."

"Yup."

Jaxon blinks a few times and nods. Shawn fully opens his eyes to look at Jaxon. They sit in awkward silence for a few seconds.

"You think they're gonna break up?" They ask at the same time.

**