Sandoval's phone call, particularly the things he'd said about Larry being so happy since being in Nicaragua stayed with Laurent for the rest of the day. He'd tossed Sandoval's entire conversation over and over in his head. He didn't want to believe any of it was true but he couldn't help thinking it might be.
Again, in his desire to fully understand the abused spouse syndrome, Laurent had read examples of incident after incident where the abused spouse stayed with or even went back to their abuser, no matter what they'd suffered at the hand of their abuser. It didn't make sense, but sadly, it happened all too often.
It only proved just how fragile the mind can be and how easily susceptible one can be to verbal and emotional abuse. Had that happened with Larry? Had he gone back willingly to his husband, the Devil he knew, a man he'd professed not to love, didn't respect? Laurent could only imagine how much verbal abuse Larry had been subjected to by Sandoval over the course of their nearly ten-year marriage. A lot of very effective manipulation could be done in just one third that time.
Despite Larry expressing his love for him, had it all been just a well-intended but empty declaration, Laurent wondered. Or more to the point, in Larry's years-long emotional weakness, had he just given up, and had given in to all he's known, no matter how bad, of the past ten years with Sandoval? Either way, Laurent felt troubled by it. He didn't want to believe Sandoval's words, but he had to at least consider they might be true. As much as he wanted Larry for himself, he'd settle for him being with almost anyone...but Sandoval.
Laurent thought of how he'd met Larry, their seemingly instant attraction, their hot, kinetic connection, the short time in which it took them to fall so deeply in love, despite the little they really knew about each other at the time. Had it just been some flash in the pan moment that had run it's course, at least for Larry? Was there a shred of truth to what Sandoval had said about Larry being happy...with him? It was unimaginable to him, but could it really be true?
Laurent knew he hadn't any right to feel jealousy or envy about Larry with Sandoval. They were, after all, a married couple, despite what he and Larry had become to each other. And if he were honest with himself, Laurent knew it was actually he who was the odd man out, the man who was actually doing what and being where he shouldn't be. Marriage was supposed to be a sacred bond, and in that regard, it was he who was the intruder.
He couldn't help wondering, especially given how Sandoval gushed about his intent to renew his and Larry's marriage vows, if he and Larry were also sharing a bed again. Was Larry now giving Sandoval what Laurent now considered his ever since he and Larry expressed their love for each other. The very thought of it made Laurent sick and antsy. He needed to know the truth, and he needed it from Larry himself.
By the end of the rest of the day, as Laurent walked into his residence after work that evening, he carried these same thoughts, and by about 1:30 a.m. as he laid in his bed, unable to sleep, staring up at his ceiling, Playmo's words kept playing over and over in his head. 'Do not interfere. What excuse could you give for being there? You're not going to lose him. Don't do something stupid. Larry loves you.'
Laurent blew out a breath, throwing the covers off of him. He sat up and turned, sitting on the edge of the bed, his elbows braced on his knees. 'Though the wheels of justice may not turn swiftly, they do turn', Laurent recalled his Chief saying. Yeah, he knew all about the so-called wheels of justice. It was a crock, is what it was. Sometimes it turned too slow, and as far as Laurent was concerned, it was turning at a snail's pace, though he realized, in this particular instance, maybe he was being a little bias.
He looked over at his bedside clock. It was late, or early depending on one's perspective. He decided to take a chance. His mind was made up. Time to at least put his thoughts into action, regardless of the cost. He picked up his cell and placed a call he hadn't made in at least a year. When the line wasn't picked up by the third ring Laurent was just about to end his call when,
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Uncaging Bunny/LT Fanfiction
FanfictionLarry Sandoval was at his wit's end, miserable, unhappy, feeling like an animal trapped, living in a gilded cage, desperate to leave his troubled marriage when one night, quite by chance, after he finally gets the courage to leave his husband, he me...
