Stress Relief

Communication

"Come on Rachel pick up..." Chase was sitting in his house while his mom and dad went out on a date that Sunday evening. Which wasn't really an issue of course, they're married they can go on dates but when he got home from him and Elijah's study session, hardly a word was spoken to him before they were out the door.

His mom never really...talked to him. Sure she was always busy with work and didn't exactly have the time, which made his dad a stay-at-home dad for a good while until he was fourteen and trusted to be by himself, but still. When they talked it never really felt like she cared what he said. His dad tried but it always ended in awkward silence so he never bothered. Which meant he'd talk to Diego about most things, which is what he was doing just a minute ago.

"Five bucks she says she's busy." Diego bet, watching some anime on his wall-mounted TV.

"Shut up 'D." He sighed tiredly, rubbing his forehead. "You were the one who kept insisting I talk to her."

"Yeah cause you just went on a ten minute rant about how you made out with Eli not once, not twice, but three times just an hour ago." He kept his fingers up, like he hadn't already gotten his point across. "A talk is in order, and you need to tell her that-"

"We need a break yeah I know." Diego glared at him, before turning back to the TV mounted on the wall in front of Chase's bed

"Don't "yeah I know" me, pendejo." He muttered bitterly.

With a sigh Chase rubbed the annoyance from his face. "Sorry, sorry. I'm just...worried it won't go well."

Diego relaxed, quiet as he thought for a moment. "Y'know," he grabbed his TV remote and paused the episode they were watching, "I think deep down, she'll know it's for your own good. Both of you I mean." He scratched the back of his head, nodding. "Yeah. She isn't the type to not listen when you actually talk-she's sensitive and a little ignorant but...she'll realize."

Chase nodded to himself, he could only hope she will.

"Hey, sorry if that took awhile I was feeding my dog."

"All good Rache." He smiled at the phone, though his chest only hurt as Diego nodded for him to continue. "Listen, I know we um...about the fight I-um..."

"Yeah, that was...rough." He couldn't agree more. He'd never raised his voice like that at someone before but she just kept throwing accusations at him like he was under interrogation and he wasn't having it.

Chase sighed. "Yeah...look, I just want you to know that-the reason I'm about to ask what I'm about to ask isn't because of the fight at all-well it sort of is, but mostly about how we just keep getting into arguments and here lately I just have been feeling like I'm walking on egg shells around you and-god that sounded rude-"

Diego dragged a hand down his face, exhausted already. "Dios mío, get to the point..."

"Chase please get to the point, I need to shower."

"I want to take a break." He spat the words out like they were fire on his tongue. There was silence from the other end of the line, and he felt a sense of dread chill him to the bone.

A hand settled on his shoulder, squeezing. Looking up he saw Diego smiling at him, nodding in assurance. Forcing himself to relax a little, he waited.

"Wait...like...from each other? For how long?"

"I...don't know." Fidgeting with his thumbs, he looked at his phone sitting on his bed. At Rachel's caller ID. "Here lately I've just felt numb, about our relationship, and I..." he swallowed, fearing the reaction to what he'd ask of her, "...I want some time apart, if it's okay. So I can figure myself out." Specifically so he could decide if he wanted to continue things with her.