Two Player Game

~Chapter Fifty-Four~

Jake is in his apartment. Crying and punching things. Rich has been calling him all day, he hasn't answered a single one and he's in his own apartment freaking out.

"C'mon, Jakey, c'mon, c'mon, c'mon!" Jake is ignoring him. He doesn't want to talk to him.

"Jacob. Jacob, Jake, Jakey, please, Jacob." he continues to call until he decides to just go over there. He bangs on the door.

"Jake, open the door, hear me out, baby, c'mon!"

"Fuck off Rich!"

"Jacob, let me in, I was stupid, I'm so sorry, she didn't mean anything to me, she still doesn't, Jake, I was just angry and lonely, but she wasn't You."

"And that's why you got her pregnant???"

"I wasn't thinking right, I wasn't careful, Jake!"

"Well maybe you should have been!"

"I know I should've, I know, Jake, and I know what I did was so wrong, I fucked up so bad, just -"

"No! Go fuck off."

"Please, Jake, please. Just open the door. Just for a minute, baby."

"Fuck. Off. Rich."

He leans his forehead on the door. "Jakey... Jake, I was so stupid, I'm sorry, I'm so fucking sorry, I didn't mean for this, I didn't want this to happen, I just... Jake, please. Jacob."

"Richard." He spits the name out coldly. He's heartbroken. He just freezes. He can't move, can't speak.

"....J-... I... Baby-"

"Don't call me that. Don't ever call me that again."

"..... I'm so sorry." He's choking on tears. "ba- Jake. Please, I can't -"

"Maybe you should've thought of that before you fucked her."

"Jake you weren't there! You told me you didn't want to see me then either, did you want me to wait for you to stop being mad and take me back?? You didn't want anything to do with me, and she did! It didn't mean anything and I didn't know I'd knocked her up until last night, she didn't even tell ME right away!"

"I told you that I needed some time because my mom just died!" He freezes again.

"Jake... Jake, why didn't you tell me? Why didn't you answer then, I thought you'd hated me!"

"I was still choked up about it and told you that it was a family problem. It's personal Rich!"

"I thought your family hated me, I thought it was me, Jake, I asked you if it was my fault so many times and you never answered, and I couldn't stand feeling so guilty!" Jake is crying so much. His hands are bleeding.

"Let me in, Jake, I'll fix it, I'll - I'll - I want to fix it, Jakey, I wanna fix us."

"There's nothing to fix."

He just breaks down. "Jake, no, please, Jacob, let me - I gotta fix it, Jake, I'm not the same without you, I can't - Jacob, baby-"

"No Richard! You broke my heart! I'm done, fuck off."

He takes a breath. "Fine! Fine, if you're so sure, then I'll - I'll leave. Lose my number, Jake, you won't need it anymore."

"Fine!" He just hugs his legs closer.

"And to think I came to tell you I loved you and try and get through this. But no. I've fucked up too bad. I'm not giving up, Jake, I love you too much." Jake is so hurt. But he doesn't want to be alone.

"... Let me in, Jake. I'm trying one more time today before I leave. Please let me in." He stays quiet, he's crying too much to say anything.

"... I'll be back tomorrow. And every single day after that, Jake." Jake still loves his. He loves him so much. But he can't trust him. He's so mad.

"Every day, baby." he hesitates. He doesn't want to leave. Jake hesitantly gets up and goes to open the door slowly. His hands are so bloody and his face is tear stained. When he does, Rich just stares. He can't speak. If he moves he's afraid he'll break Jake. He's so scared.

"......Jake." his voice cracks. Jake doesn't say anything. He will break down if he opens his mouth. Rich reaches with a shaking hand for one of Jake's. When he feels the touch he jerks his hand back slightly. It still hurts. It burns. Rich whispers,

"We gotta clean your hands, Jakey, we can't let them get infected." Jakes nods his head slowly. He's shaking so much. Rich escorts Jake to the bathroom in order to start cleaning the wounds on his hands gently. He knows a lot about bloody knuckles and how to treat them.

Jake starts crying again quietly. Wiping his eyes with his arm. He loves him. He loves him so much.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean- I'm really sorry, Jakey." He's bandaging them now.

"I love you so much..."

"I love you too, I'm so sorry I did this." Jake looks broken. It's absolutely heartbreaking. He puts a hand to Jake's face.

"I'm so sorry. I never should've even talked to her, I'm sorry I did this."

"I can't trust you... but I don't want you to leave."

"... Jake I'll stay until you tell me to go." He nods slowly.

"... If you want me to leave, just tell me. At any time."

"I want you to stay. I don't want to be alone.."

"Okay. Okay ba-... Jake." They sit there in the bathroom as Rich finishes with Jakes hands.

"There. Be careful. Don't... Don't hurt yourself again, Jacob." He can't promise anything.

"... I want to hold you so bad, Jake, I want- want to kiss you and make it better, but it ain't gonna make it better. I know it won't. I don't know what to do, Jakey, I'm - I'm not ready for any of this."

"If it's going to get better, if you want it to, it's going to take awhile.. I-I can't even look at you."

"I know. I know, Jake, I... I deserve it. I do. I don't care how long it takes, I'll wait, Jake. I won't do anything again, not ever, and I will wait for you as long as it takes. I just want you back, Jacob. Take your time, as long as you goddamn need." And That is a REALLY long time.