Recovery: Roomies Book Three (BxB)

Love Talk

Chapter Sixteen: Love Talk

"Jason, I found a week-long course at Stockholm University. For International students. I'm going to do it." Kyle made this bald announcement at lunch. Cameron and Nate exchanged glances and then continued to eat the fish chowder silently. "It starts tomorrow. My flight leaves in four hours. I'm already packed."

Jason sat straight up, his heart squeezing hard in his chest. He touched his forehead, a headache already forming like a storm in his skull.

"What?" he asked, wishing there would be a logical answer that didn't hurt him. That made sense. That somehow rewound the clock six years and they were happy and in love.

"I know Sten agreed to start working with the boys, which means tons of days here at the house. I need a break. I can't hang out here, forever. I need to get out and explore and see new things. It's just a generic Swedish culture class, but I think it sounds interesting. Sten has an apartment in the city. I thought you might want to know."

"You thought...you thought I might want to know?" Jason scoffed, trying to mask his pain with sarcasm.  "Well, thanks for telling me. Glad my husband graciously decided to inform me he was leaving for a week. Guess I'm the last to know again, right Sten? You planned this, the both of you, before even talking to me? I don't know why I'm surprised." He got up from the table. "Excuse me," This was directed to Nate and Cameron. "I'm not hungry."

He quietly left the table, but as he went down the hallway, he heard Lewis.

"I don't like you very much, Uncle Kyle. I don't like you very much at all." He sounded strangely flat, and Jason could picture the look on his nephew's face. And sighed. Worried about the possibility of violence that lay below the mask.

Not an unwelcome distraction from the earthquake in his marriage.

He went into their bedroom, and sat his ass in the window seat. It was barely deep enough to allow him to sit comfortably, but he did anyway. Looked at the bed and wondered if this was a good time for a nap. The blankets looked pretty inviting.

Jason got as far as kicking off his shoes when the door opened.

"Kyle, I know that...."

He trailed off. It wasn't his husband.

It was Sten.

"Jason, you're upset. We should talk about this."

"I'm really not. Upset. And yes I do think we should talk. Me and Kyle. Not you." Jason kicked off his jeans, and threw off his shirt, unbothered. Sten had seen him naked many times.

"He doesn't want to talk to you, Jason. It doesn't do any good."

Jason threw back the covers and climbed into bed. "Go away. I'm going to take a nap."

Sten slipped off his shoes and climbed into bed next to Jason. Propped his head on hand, his elbow on the pillow, right behind Jason, who faced away, trying not to be a total asshole and start crying.

"Jason, why are you so upset?" He smoothed Jason's hair behind his ear.

"Because my husband doesn't seem to love me anymore..." Jason said numbly, cheek flat against the pillow. Wondering how he could turn off his life without dying. It was starting to get too painful.

"I don't know if that's true. He's never said that to me. But, Jason, do you love him?"

"I do. I love him so much. I wish things were different."