Growing Together

PickRome: Wrong

Wrong.

That was the only word repeating itself inside his head. This and that and everything was just wrong. Nothing had been fixed, Rome was still on his mind. The feelings were still there, they hadn't just gone away as he thought they would and in part it frightened him. It was hard for him to accept that he was feeling like this for another guy. It just wasn't possible, it shouldn't be possible...but it was. Every time he thought about Rome and that night, he had this strange feeling running through him. It unsettled him greatly, because he certainly WAS NOT GAY.

He had nearly been here two weeks, burdening Porsche and helping him with their projects at the clinic. Porsche had said that if he was going to be there he might as well do something productive to help ease his mind. It was fun working with the animals and hanging out with the staff after work, heck he even had met up with the only cute girl at the clinic. She was definitely his type, but as much fun as he was having hanging out it just felt wrong. He felt like he was almost cheating on Rome.

"You know, he's not doing so well," Porsche had said as he handed his friend a newly opened bottle of beer as he sat back down in his seat. Drinking beer and lazing around at the patio in his room, had become somewhat of a ritual thing after work.

Pick had not really said anything to that, and just silently accepted the beer being handed to him. He wasn't stupid, he'd hear him and Emma talking on the phone every day. At times, he'd hear Rome's name come up, but he had pretended not to hear it. He was still troubled by his feelings and he wasn't sure whether he wanted to let them growing.

"What's the big deal anyways?" Porsche continued as he let the beer dangle in his hand. "So you like a guy, what does that matter? If he makes you feel right, why should it matter what people think?"

"I'm not fucking gay that's why!" Pick said glaring at his longtime friend. He didn't want to have this conversation right now. All he wanted was to sit here and drink his beer without being annoyed about his feelings.

"Tsk!" Porsche let out shaking his head, "Is that what worries you? That people will start calling you gay?"

"Shit, Porsche stop talking already," Pick groaned out slamming his beer down, desperate to end this conversation.

"I can't buddy, when you're here hiding from your damn feelings," Porsche practically yelled out. He was baffled, he'd never thought Pick could be such a coward.

"Then what the heck do you call what you are doing, huh?" Pick had let out angrily as he stood up from his seat, "You're hiding from P'Oh, when you should be over there taking responsibility for knocking up his sister!"

Porsche had never stood up so quickly. His face was contorted with anger at what he had just said. "This and that are not the same! I'm going to take responsibility for what I did, so don't go mixing me in with you!" Porsche said pushing Pick back out of spite. "You're my friend but you don't get to do that to someone and then pretend shit didn't happen?! You knew he liked you, and you made your damn choice that night. No one forced you Pick, so stop trying to find an excuse to take it back! Own up to it you coward."

He didn't know what came over him, but hearing Porsche saying that had Pick getting angry. He knew he had no right to be angry, Porsche was right about everything. But he couldn't stop himself from letting that anger boil over and punching him and for the first time in their lives, they had ended up getting violent with one another. Fists were flying and they ended up thrashing one another on the ground trying to wrestle with one another to get the upper hand and release the anger that had surged from both of them.