Friends from Boston

[shyguy]

Shy and TJ have spent a nice, quiet day together as Shy waits for Tom to show. He's curious if Dev will be with him. He's not sure that he'd want to go on a road trip to help out a husband's ex, so if the guy does show up, Shy knows he'll be impressed.

"Are you sure you don't mind them staying here?" Shy asks TJ again.

"Of course I don't mind," TJ assures him with a grin for the umpteenth time. "And if they decide to stay somewhere else, I won't be offended," he adds before Shy can ask that. "I'm just psyched to meet a friend who cares so much about you. Plus, I want to see if he's as hot as you say."

"Oh, trust me, he is," Shy says. "And if I hadn't been an idiot, I could have married him and been happy. He's just the best."

TJ smiles. "Don't you dare be a homewrecker, Shy."

Shy's eyes widen, then he realizes he's being teased. "Tom is an awesome, dedicated husband, and Dev is a sexy guy I can tell really loves Tom. No way I'd be able to even attempt to wreck that home." He checks the time. "They should be here any time now."

Comments

[shyboy86.livejournal.com]

Shy couldn't help smiling even though he wondered if Dev really was as nice as he seemed to be.

"C'mon, I'll introduce you to TJ." He led Dev and Tom into the house and smiled when he saw TJ had already taken out some beers for all of them. "TJ, I'd like you to meet Tom. And this is his husband, Dev."

TJ walked over to them and smiled as he put out a hand. "How you guys doing?"

[nosaint-justme.livejournal.com]

Tom smiled and took the man's hand. Nice to meet you too, TJ."

[shyboy86.livejournal.com]

TJ shook Tom's hand, then Dev's. "You guys are a good looking couple," he said with a grin.

"I like you, TJ," Dev laughed. "Why don't you and I go get acquainted so Tom and Shy can talk, huh?"

TJ nodded. "Okay by me."

"That good with you, baby?" Dev asked Tom.

[nosaint-justme.livejournal.com]

Tom had to laugh at Dev's response. "That's good with me, sweetheart, but maybe I should warn TJ not to stroke your ego too much. Otherwise we'll never fit your head back into the car." He looked at Shy and gave his shoulder a squeeze. "Are you okay with it, Shy?"

[shyboy86.livejournal.com]

"Yeah, it's fine with me," Shy said, giving Dev a grateful smile. He'd been hoping he'd have a chance to talk to Tom alone.

"Cool. We can talk in the kitchen," TJ said to Dev, leading him into the other room.

[nosaint-justme.livejournal.com]

Once Dev and TJ had left the room, Tom sat down on the couch and pulled Shy down beside him, tucking him under his arm. "Okay, sweetheart, talk to me, tell me what you're thinking and feeling." He said gently.

[shyboy86.livejournal.com]

Shy snuggled even closer and closed his eyes with a sigh, just soaking up the warmth of his friend's embrace. "I'm scared. I'm angry. I feel completely worthless and..." He looked up at Tom. "I slept with TJ," he whispered. "I used him because I wanted to feel something other than torn apart."

[nosaint-justme.livejournal.com]

"Oh, sweetheart, you are so not worthless." Tom said, holding the man closer. "Did TJ understand what was going on, what you were feeling, Shy?"

[shyboy86.livejournal.com]

"He said he did," Shy said with a small nod. "I believe him, but... I think I hurt him. He didn't say it or anything, but I could kind of tell. He's not very good at hiding what he's thinking. It's part of the reason I like him so much. Do you think I did a bad thing?"

[nosaint-justme.livejournal.com]

Tom took a deep breath. "I think that's more for you to say than me, Shy, but I'll say this much. Talk to TJ about it, find out whether or not he was hurt and that will tell you what you need to do next."

[shyboy86.livejournal.com]

"We already had a talk about it and I know I won't get anything more out of him," Shy said. "He did say he'll come see me in Boston, though. And... He talked to Orlando to let him know I was okay. I wouldn't have minded Orlando being kept out of the loop because I hate him and my life is none of his business anymore, but I thought that was a nice thing for TJ to do."

[nosaint-justme.livejournal.com]

Tom blushed. "I talked to Orlando after we hung up earlier today, sweetheart. I told him I was taking you to Boston. I'm sorry if that upsets you, but if it was me, I'd want to know you were okay."

[shyboy86.livejournal.com]

"If it was you, you wouldn't have hurt me the way he did," Shy said with a sigh. "What is it about me that makes the people I love turn their backs on me?"

[nosaint-justme.livejournal.com]

"Aww, sweetheart, maybe it's not what it is about you, but what it is about them." Tom murmured against the younger man's hair.

[shyboy86.livejournal.com]

"Why is it so easy to leave me?" he whispered.

[nosaint-justme.livejournal.com]

"Shy, you aren't easy to leave or easy to forget. Andrea was confused, angry and pushed by her family into a course she didn't necessarily want to take." Tom sighed. "As for Orlando, I hope this is confused thinking on his part. Maybe his mind isn't working as clearly as he thinks after being shot. It isn't you, sweetheart, believe me."

[shyboy86.livejournal.com]

Shy hugged Tom tighter. 'I don't think it was getting shot that made Orlando stop loving me," he said softly. "I don't think he ever really loved me to begin with."

[nosaint-justme.livejournal.com]

"That may be, sweetheart, but if that's the case then it still isn't you, it's him." Tom said. "He should have been more honest with himself, but that isn't always something people can manage."

[shyboy86.livejournal.com]

"I wish I hadn't let myself fall in love with him. That's what really kills me. I would never have gone back to him if I didn't love him and now you're married to someone else, and..." He shakes his head. "I hate him, Tom. I hate him so much for doing this to me."

[nosaint-justme.livejournal.com]

"It's okay to be angry with him for now, Shy, but don't let it start to eat at you." Tom carded his fingers through the younger man's curls soothingly. "I would hate to see you become bitter."

[shyboy86.livejournal.com]

"It's too late," Shy said, closing his eyes. "I'm never going to fall in love again because I'm never going to let anyone hurt me like this."

[nosaint-justme.livejournal.com]

"Oh, sweetheart." Tom sighed sadly and kissed the top of Shy's head. "I wish I could take all this hurt for you."

[shyboy86.livejournal.com]

"I don't," Shy said, shaking his head. "You don't deserve to feel like this at all."

[nosaint-justme.livejournal.com]

"Neither do you, Shy." Tom said gently.

[shyboy86.livejournal.com]

"It feels like maybe I do." He looked at Tom. "I killed a man. Maybe all the bad stuff that's happened to me since then is my punishment. Maybe I had to meet Orlando so I'd get kidnapped by Kevin and then tossed aside like garbage. I think it's my fault."