Remedy [MxM]

Chapter 18: What (not) to do When Your Partner Throws a Temper Tantrum

This chapter was edited on 2/3/2016 and includes minor alterations, and is combined with the original chapter 19. Enjoy!

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"We haven't seen you in a while, that's why. We miss you. And we want to hear about your new job. Which I still don't understand why you had to find one out of state anyway."

"Because, Mom, it's a good job. I wasn't going to stay in Baltimore my entire life, you know."

I'd been arguing with my mother for the past ten minutes. She wanted me to stay a few days down in Baltimore, since she hadn't seen me in a few months. I was trying to get out of it, but it was very hard to win an argument with someone like my mother. Especially when they try to guilt trip you.

"Oh, I guess you just don't have time for us anymore..."

"Come on, Mom—"

"No, no, we understand. You're all big and successful in New Jersey, and you're done with us. We understand. We'll send you Christmas cards when we can."

"Okay, okay fine. Just for two days."

"Thank you dear. We love you, and can't wait to see you!" she said, hanging up.

Well. There went my weekend. I sighed, dropping the phone onto the bed beside me where I was laying, staring at the ceiling. Chris had gone out to the store a while ago, and should've been back any minute. Just in time for me to tell him that he'd be alone for the weekend. No way was he going back to Baltimore. Especially since Eliot was supposed to be there for a while. I was going to avoid that situation as much as possible. Hell, I didn't even want to go. What would I do if Eliot saw me? I wasn't staying in the house for two whole days.

I heard the front door unlock and open, listening to Chris walking into the kitchen and setting down some bags before he walked into the bedroom, leaning against the doorway. "Well. Don't you look excited," he said. I snorted back, sitting up and leaning back on my arms to look at him.

"Apparently I have to go to Baltimore for the weekend. My mother is demanding it."

Chris rose an eyebrow, shrugging. "Alright, so we're going to—"

"I said 'I'. Not 'we'." I interrupted before he could go any further, getting a blank look from Chris. "You are staying here."

"Excuse me?"

"You know Eliot's supposed to be down there right now. I'm not risking it right after we left. Maybe in a little while, when he goes back down to Arizona—"

"So what, now you think that you can just take his place and tell me what I can and can't do? Fuck you."

"That's not what I said, Chris."

He only rolled his eyes, walking away, I assumed to the kitchen to put whatever he'd gotten away. That wasn't what I was trying to do. Hell, I was trying to protect him. What was all this taking Eliot's place bullshit? I didn't want to argue with Chris, and I didn't want to control him, but I didn't want him anywhere near Eliot. Was that such a bad thing? I didn't think so.

Falling back onto the bed, I listened to the sound of the cabinets slamming from the kitchen, and I could vaguely hear Chris talking to himself angrily. He could be pissed off all he wanted—it still wouldn't change my mind. You'd think he'd just be happy to get away from me for a few days. But no, someone has to go and be all bitchy. I laughed at that, remembering all the times I'd referred to Chris as a bitch, or mentioned his bitch mode.