Misunderstanding in the Asylum

That strange situation the other day, the interaction between Seth and Roman...it was unsettling to Dean. Very unsettling. After that, things got even stranger. Every time he'd see them pass one another, they would grin too pleasantly and share unreadable glances. Every time. He wasn't sure why exactly but he was bothered by the ordeal. So bothered, in fact, that his curiosity got the better of him. He was sure they wouldn't mind if he joined them for lunch as well.

When Dean was certain that the men would be there, he made his way to the cafeteria area. While the general cafe was large enough to accommodate the patients, there was a smaller room in the back for the staff to eat. There, they actually served real food. All of Dean's meals came from that kitchen if Rome brought him food. Any other time, it was the usual inedible stuff. He really detested this place.

He approached the men with all intent of joining them, but stopped as he took in the picture. Seth was laughing at Roman while holding his hand from across the table, and Roman was smiling-actually smiling! It was such a handsome smile but Dean wondered why it was his first time seeing it. He got a smirk every once in a while but this was a full-blown teeth-showing smile. He was convinced that something was not right in the universe at that point.

"Oh!" Seth released Roman's hand as he took notice of Dean approaching. "Hey, Dean. Didn't expect to see you. Coming to join us?"

Dean looked between the men and shrugged off his feeling. "No, I was leaving. Just saw you two and...you know...kind of..." His entire sentence was lost in the lining of his throat as he started to stroll away. "I'm going to my room." That summed it up. He continued his stroll until he got into the hallway, then he walked a tad slower, taking the time to fully comprehend what was happening around him. It confused the life out of him. Just what was going on between Seth and Roman? As he passed one room in particular, he decided that he'd stop in. Maybe the resident would have some advice.

He rapped on the door slightly before it opened on its own. Sure, nothing was scary about that. In the pitch blackness, only the glow from a lantern in the corner showed any signs of light and the glow soon was moved to illuminate the side of the resident's face. A Cheshire like grin became visible in the darkness. "You're here."

"Bray," Dean called, "turn some light on in here before you go blind." He stood on the wall and flipped the switch, not shocked to find Bray in his rocking chair and Bray's two henchmen standing beside him- wearing the traditional white coats of the staff. Oddly enough, neither were staffers. They were patients. Ambrose could only imagine what poor schmucks had the pleasure of losing their uniforms to the men.

Bray was the elder of the asylum- in application, not age. While bizarre, he usually had trustworthy advice. The seated man smiled still at Ambrose and rocked in his chair. "If it isn't my little pet. Ambrose, finally decided to move in my wing?"

"No" the answer was flat and Dean leaned against the wall, looking to the man. "Now, tell me what this is..."

:::

Neither Seth nor Roman could believe how heated their lunch had gotten in a matter of minutes. Things drastically went from "Where did you work previously" to "I'm not afraid to use this fork in the worst way." The agreement was obvious to both men: while they had a thing for the mentally impaired Ambrose, they held nothing for one another.

Seth hadn't touched his coffee, never stopping his glare to Reigns. "Roman, you do know why he won't ever really be interested in you, right?" Rollins eased in to keep the conversation confidential but active. "You're controlling. Dean doesn't like authority and he doesn't want to be dominated." The implication was obvious.

"Oh?" Roman chuckled condescendingly while biting from his doughnut. "One: I don't think he's interested in a submissive little pretty boy like you either. And two..." The big man grinned. "If it's me, I'm sure I can convince him to lie down."

Seth's cheeks went red at the thought. What a mental image to be etched. Now he wouldn't stop imagining Dean in that position. Pushing it aside momentarily, he shot back. "Careful there, Rome. There's a fine line between being imposing and rape."

"He'd enjoy it either way," the leviathan winked, relishing in the outrage written across Rollins' expression. "But this isn't just about that part of a relationship, Seth." The air about Roman changed from being devious to gravely intense. "I'm talking about everything else." He emphasized.

Seth huffed bitterly. "I'm well aware of everything else, Roman." The young doctor was too annoyed at this point. Chugging all of his coffee in one go, he started up again. "And everything else is the reason I make a better choice. I'm almost positive that the attraction you feel for him is completely physical. You don't know how he works."

"And you don't know what turns him on." Roman stated disinterestedly.

Rollins attempted not to look taken aback. "And you know something like that?"

"Yes actually."

"What?" Seth's gaze jerked towards the man, color rising in his cheeks again. "How would you- ?"

"I take care of every part of his body, Seth."

"Huh?!"

"You're missing the point." Reigns rolled his eyes at the reaction. "The point is, there are things we both don't know and things we have to learn, so your logic for why you should have Dean is flawed."

Seth almost questioned "the point" but instead continued his argument. "Look, I've put a lot of effort into making him feel comfortable around me- "

"So have I."

"Shut up," Rollins growled. "I've put up a lot of effort and I loved him first!" His outburst was toned down but still exaggerated enough to show his plight.

Roman smirked knowing he got under the man's skin. "You're like a little boy. 'I loved him first'," The mocking laughter was low and short. "Dean doesn't need a boy. He needs a man, and Seth, you're not quite there yet."

Despite the insulted anger welling up inside him, Seth smiled brightly and grabbed at Roman's hand. Reigns eyed the man curiously before Seth's eyes hinted towards the door. Roman took the hint and understood completely as Ambrose approached. They agreed on one thing only in the short time: they wouldn't bicker while Dean was around. It was for his sake and peace of mind. Upholding that, Roman smiled back, Seth smiling a bit wider. "It's funny."

"What is?"

"Being lectured on being a man from a nurse. The irony," he laughed in a falsely jolly way as Roman's eye twitched in rage, his happy bravado cracking slightly.

"Up yours," Roman spat lowly through his smiling teeth.

Seth only laughed harder. "Tempting but I'm not too interested." When Ambrose was in good enough range Rollins acknowledged him. "Oh!" He released Roman's hand. "Hey, Dean. Didn't expect to see you. Coming to join us?"

Dean looked between the men and shrugged. "No, I was leaving. Just saw you two and...you know...kind of..." His entire sentence was lost somewhere in space as he started to stroll away. "I'm going to my room."He summed that up, they guessed.

When the young man was out of sight and earshot, Seth snatched his hand away, shaking it vigorously. Roman on the other hand kept staring at the door. "Did Ambrose seem strange to you?"

"No. His words were kind of trippy but not really strange." He looked back to the big man. "For a guy, you have oddly soft and supple hands."

Reigns snapped from his concerned daze and back to his heated glared. "Shut up, Seth."

:::

Ambrose sat on his bed in melancholy, still swallowing everything, still lamenting.

His visit with Bray was not reassuring.

The Wyatt leader gave him the one answer he really didn't want to hear.

"Don't you see, Ambrose. They're in love!" The mocking way his vocal inflection rose on the word, made Dean cringe.He worried his lip between his teeth before laughing and shaking his head. "You know I'm usually behind you, Bray, but I'm not so sure this time. I mean, they just met." Dean folded his arms closer into his body, starting to nervously fidget with his shirt sleeves."No, no, no. You're in denial, Ambrose." Bray chuckled a bit more with his rosy cheeks, pointing his finger at Dean as he gestured with his hand. "They're in love and you know it. That's why they've never met before: because you stopped them. You knew what would happen the first time they laid eyes on one another." He rocked between his sentence, the smile slowly leaving and the enthusiasm in his voice dropping to dangerous levels. Once he stopped rocking, Bray leaned forward down to Dean's face. "You knew that while you tried, you wouldn't be able to have a relationship with either. They take care of you but they couldn't possibly love you. Sooner or later they're going to push you out of this imaginary relationship you've come up with. They're free men, Dean. To them you're just a wounded animal, a monster, crazed in a cage." Seeing Ambrose's glare become menacingly intense, Bray set back to rocking in his chair.

Ambrose clenched his eyes shut before opening them and blinking in disbelief. "Is that so?"

"Would I lie?" Wyatt asked. He rocked a little more smiling again. "You know what you are and sometimes I think you forget. But that's why you come to me. I don't lie to you, Dean. I simply help remind you of the truth." With a menacingly bitter tone, Bray turned down his smile to a soulless frown. "No one could love someone like you."

After that point there wasn't a single sound in the room besides the creak of the rocking chair. The next move belonged to Ambrose.Tightening his jaw, the auburn-haired man glowered. Silently, Dean stood and walked out the door.

"Until next time." Wyatt's eerie laughter followed out and resounded still. Finally out in the hallway, Ambrose turned and attacked the door, fist and other limbs meeting the metal harshly- neither entity giving in as Dean expressed his rage.The truth.Of all times, he really didn't want the truth.He dropped his head against the cool door before dragging back to his room. He needed to think this one out.

So an hour and a half later, and he was still thinking. Wondering. Hoping. What if Wyatt was wrong? Sure he'd still have a chance, but he wasn't good at making the first move with relationships. Did he just ask Seth or Roman to go out? Well, he couldn't actually leave the asylum freely. Maybe he could show a little more interest- then of course, he wasn't openly touchy-feely. Neither were the other two men as far as he knew. What if they weren't interested at all? What if Bray was right? If they turned him down...

He didn't want to think about it. Thinking would come later. He'd mull it over eventually, but with his emotional exhaustion, he really wanted a nap. Then, he'd vent out his frustrations in the downstairs gym.

::

"I thought everything was going well with you and Ambrose."

"Yeah but then Seth popped up."

"And he's a pretty boy, I see."

"Ooo, so now our little cousin has some competition, huh?"

The twin laughs from the twin brothers only made Roman growl in embarrassment. Slamming down his fist on the counter, Reigns barked, "Something funny?"

Jimmy nodded his head, passing up some medicine. "Actually yes." The brothers nodded.

Jey took the pill bottle and arranged it on the tray. "When you got here, Rome, you were so confident about this. You swore that no one else would want him because he was crazy."

"I didn't say he was crazy."

"Let him finish," Jimmy laughed.

Jey began again, "You said no one could take care of him but you. Come to find there was some guy here two years before you doing the same thing. Technically, you're the other woman."

Roman rubbed his neck at the observance, annoyance increasing tenfold. "Maybe he should've claimed Dean sooner."

"Doesn't that apply to you too?"

"Shut up," Roman growled once more. Of course they were right, but why admit that? Instead, Reigns changed the subject slightly. "Okay, so how do I get Dean's attention?"

Jimmy and Jey looked between each other and then back to Roman. Jimmy was the first to speak. "Actually we..."

"...aren't sure how to pick up men." Jey finished.

Giving himself a mighty face-palm, Roman sighed. "It's the same as with women, guys. Same concept. Same everything."

"Oh," Jimmy and Jey mouthed in unison. The men rubbed their chins thoughtfully before Jimmy raised a finger. "You could be a little friendlier, loosen up. Oh! Show him you want more than a business relationship! Use that Samoan swag!"

"I thought it was Samoan sexy." Jey mumbled.

"Same difference." Jimmy admitted.

Roman sighed again and shook his head. "What?"

"You have to make him want you. That's all." Jimmy nodded. "See, you've got the look of a big wild jungle cat."

"Yeah," Jey smiled brightly and reasoned. "All you have to do is toss all that hair to one side, gaze at him, and I guarantee he'll go crazy. That's how the Usos do it."

"Works every time," Jimmy smiled. The twins began their own conceited sidebar conversation briefly before Roman decided to leave.

Those two goofballs were no help. They were family but they were useless. But he wouldn't press the issue any more, he wanted to take Dean to the gym anyway.

While he prepared, he thought about the bogus advice. Maybe all of it wasn't bogus. Be friendlier? Make Dean want him? How could he do that...?

:::

"Reigns? Oh yeah, he's a stud."

"I know," Rollins groaned, dropping his head in his hands. As much as Seth dreaded dealing with the busybody, he knew he needed someone to talk to. Maddox was it.

Brad leaned against the front of Seth's office desk and fiddled with the small scale model of Newton's cradle. "Don't be upset though. You're a good looking guy too. You and Roman are pretty compatible when it comes to looks. Now Ambrose..." Maddox focused even harder on the model as he spoke. "He's a bit more... eccentric... when it comes to facial features." Brad looked up and sat the instrument down, turning to Seth in confusion. "Why do you want that guy again?"

Rollins glared at Brad for questioning him but dropped it, seeing that it didn't affect Maddox much.

"You do realize that your angry face isn't angry at all, right? It's actually pretty cute-"

"So how do I get Dean's attention?" Rollins interrupted.

"Hm..."Combing through his hair, the young man thought. "You could stop distancing yourself and being all business reserved. Be nicer and open. You do want him as more than a patient, after all." Brad bit his lip, holding it between his teeth until his eureka moment hit. "Ah ha! Make him want you!"

At first reaction, Seth stared blankly. "No."

"Yes. That is the first step," Brad refuted. "A little harmless flirting makes a person aware that you're looking at them. And you've got a desirable body as far as I've seen so use it." He placed his hands face down on the desk and turned to Seth. "That's all it takes to get a little edge- especially with guys like Ambrose." Guaranteeing, the young assistant looked in Seth's drawer, removing a few candid shots of Dean along with his folder.

"How'd you know that was in there?"

Ignoring him, Maddox continued and flipped through the file until he found what he wanted. "Look," Brad pointed. "He has problems with addictions that give him pleasure: Cigarettes, racing, etcetera. Make yourself desirable, give a little pleasure, and soon," Brad smiled his wide Hollywood grin, "he'll be addicted to you."

Rollins never stopped rolling his eyes at the cheesy way Brad suggested everything happen, but he had no idea of his own on what to do. Why not try it Brad's way?

"So?" Maddox questioned. "Are you doing it?"

Seth nodded reluctantly. "Why not?"

"Good," Brad smiled. "My sources tell me that Ambrose is about to hit the gym so if you want to meet him there, you didn't hear it from me." Maddox shrugged one last time and strolled out the door. "And remember to come on strong!"

Seth wasn't sure if he should take the bait, but what choice did he have? The more he thought about it, the sooner he realized that there wasn't a choice. Roman was probably down there in the gym trying to get closer too. The thought alone was annoying enough to make him grit his teeth.

Grabbing a T-shirt and a pair of shorts, Seth hurriedly changed. He wouldn't let the built nurse get the upper hand. If he had to show Ambrose he was serious with some come-ons, then so be it. For two years Dean was his alone and Seth was determined for it to stay that way.