Summary – Jason tries to help out where Tommy's love life is concerned.

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Tell Him

Jason

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(Week 34, Hillard/Scott residence)

"You're stance is off center." Moving from his side to stand in front of him so I can be certain, I see I'm right. In fact he's more off than I originally thought.

"No it's not." Still struggling to go through the routine I'd asked him to, mostly because as I said his stance is off, he ignores me for the most part. Every time I swear, we have this argument every stinking time.

"Yes it is."

"I spent ten years of my life practicing martial arts; I know how to hold a simple stance." I'm well aware of that, so why don't you do it? Why instead, do we keep having to have this exact same argument day after day?

Barely keeping my frustration in check, I physically move his leg to where it should be. "Yes well I've spent fifteen years of mine practicing it, and four years teaching it, and I am telling you your stance is off."

Muttering something that sounds suspiciously like him telling me where to go, he stubbornly moves himself back into the wrong stance determined to make it work, regardless of the fact he'll just end up tripping himself up again and then blaming it somehow someway on me. That's it I give up.

Throwing my hands up and turning off the music, I am so fed up with this right now I'm ready to just let Adam be his soul instructor, because I can't take this attitude he's developed when there's nothing at all I can do about it. "Fine have it your way."

Frowning as I have a seat on the couch, which we've pushed aside along with the chair and coffee table to have room for this ongoing drama, he drops his stance and moves toward me. "But we're not done." Oh trust me I'm done.

"Tom if you won't even take the proper stance you're not going to learn the routine correctly. If anything you'll end up on the floor with a pulled muscle, just like last week."

"Fine I'll do it myself." Geez. Turning the music back on, he starts again, still in the wrong stance. Going through the first portion of what I'd taught him, though not in the way I'd taught him, his fall is easy to foresee.

Waiting for when he goes to execute a roundhouse kick, I'm up and across the room just barely catching him as he loses balance and almost hits the floor. What'd I say huh, just like last week. "Why do you have to be so difficult? You don't act like this when Adam works with you." Setting him right and sighing as he still refuses to admit he was wrong, I swear it's like working with a thirteen year old.

"Says you." Oh yeah I'm sure you give your new best buddy Adam this much grief.

"Tom…" Killing the music again, I have got to get this to stop. He's going to end up hurting himself if I don't. "Did I do something to upset you?"

Giving me a shrug, but losing some of his attitude his answer is honest as far as I can tell. "No."

"Than why are you being so difficult? All I'm trying to do is help, but it seems every time I do I just end up annoying you. I'm only doing this because you asked me to, you said you wanted to learn to fight again, that you wanted to be an active Ranger again, well that's not going to happen if you keep arguing with every little thing I say. You won't re-learn the techniques and routines if you don't listen and want to."

Head lowered, he slowly sits down, pressing his back to couch. "Sorry."

Running a hand through my hair, I know I really shouldn't let myself be suckered into feeling bad about telling him the truth and trying to put an end to his, let's be honest bratty behavior, but damn it it's hard to stay mad and right when your best friend is looking for all the world like a kicked dog. "Don't be sorry, just talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

Resting his head on his knees, he really is pitiful when he wants to be. "I don't know what's wrong."

Moving to sit next to him, I better fix this before Kat gets home or I'll be sleeping on the couch tonight no question about it. "Are the routines too much? I know you're pretty well healed up, but if I'm pushing you too hard with these training sessions all you have to do is say so, I'll ease back."

"No, it's not that." Okay, so what else is there for him to be mad about?

As an old and long since buried thought surfaces, I hesitate to ask, wondering if I'll be opening a Pandora's box if I do. "Are you… are mad at me because I'm with Kat?"

"What?" Looking up in surprise, he quickly shakes his head. "No, no. I'm glad you guys are happy." Well that's good, because I honestly don't know how I would have fixed that had it been the problem.

"We want you to be happy too."

"I am, just, I don't know." You're clearly not if you're picking fights with me. "I guess I'm just lonely."

"Lonely?" That's what this is about? Well I guess maybe we have been a little busier these past few weeks. "Well we could all go somewhere this weekend. Maybe camping or upstate to some little town with a lot of junk shops and a bed and breakfast type place. You and Kat like to riffle through those places finding obscure stuff from-"

"Not that kind of lonely." Well not really sure what other kind of lonely there- oh.

"Oh." Right twenty year old male, damaged or not still in the prime of his life. Got it. Okay, well I can help, maybe. Just have to think of someone who he'd like and who can handle some of his more interesting quirks. Or who has access to pie. "You know that girl at the Youth Center, Emily. She looks a little bit like Kat, but she's got more a street edge to her. Really nice though. She seemed pretty interested in you when we were there last week."

"I don't like her." But she has pie.

"Oh okay. Well is there someone you do like?"

Nodding, but giving no elaboration on who, he's not going to make this easy.

"Do you want to tell me who?" When he shakes his head, I once again wonder why he has to be so difficult. "Why not?"

"Because you might not like it." Aside from you telling me 'Kat' there's really no one you can say that'd bother me. I mean who could it even be really? He never goes out unless with one of us and even than never really talks to anyone else. So aside from Kat, Me, Tanya, Rocky, and Ad…oh hell.

-ooooooo-

(2 weeks ago)

Packing up the leftovers and waving goodbye to Tanya and Rocky, I have to say this little picnic peace offering went much better than any of us had anticipated.

"That went well." Coming up behind me and giving me a kiss, Kat looks happier than I've seen her in a long time.

"Yes it did."

"Want to go home and celebrate?" Really? In the middle of the afternoon? Man I love it when things go well.

"Definitely, but what about Tom?" Spotting him a few yards away playing Frisbee with Adam, I resist the urge to roll my eyes. I would have played with him, Adam could have cleaned up you know.

"He can spend the afternoon with Adam." Great. Catching my displeased look before I can hide it, she's quick to scowl. "You have got to stop this. He's not replacing you for crying out loud, he just happens to like Adam too and as his best friend you should be happy that he has someone to turn to when you're not available."

"But that's just it, I am available. He doesn't just go over there when we're in school anymore. And do you not see how closely he's hanging on him? I just…we're supposed to be family, brothers, since when did Adam earn that right?" I know I sound selfish, I know technically it's not like that with him and Adam, but still it stings. We've been through so much together and to have someone new just come in and take my place I'd be lying to say it doesn't hurt.

"Jason Adam isn't taking him from you. You're still family, still brothers and partners, what he feels for Adam I… I honestly don't think it's the same thing." Picking up the basket containing the leftovers, Kat heads to our car. What did that mean? What does she know?

"What do you mean? You know something don't you."

"I just…I don't know, I just think that, well… I wasn't around when he first started dating Kimberly, but if it was anything like when he showed interest in me then, well…" Well what? "It's just that the way he's acting around Adam, sort of shy one minute, egger to please the next, trying to get close without being too close, it's almost as if he likes him."

"Likes him? Like, likes him likes him?"

"It sort of looks that way." Oh come on, you can't be serious.

Sparing another look at the still playing and now laughing pair, I try to see what she sees, but I just don't. Sure he's acting a little strangely around Adam, but since he's been back he just acts strange in general, how can you separate the two? "You're crazy."

Shrugging and heading back to tell them we're going, she doesn't seem convinced. "If you say so, I'm just telling you what I see." Women, how do they come up with this stuff?

-ooooooo-

Letting his words settle for a moment, I'm going to feel really stupid if I'm wrong. "It's Adam isn't it?"

Nodding smally he still looks fairly uncertain and on edge.

"It's okay you know. I- we all just want you to be happy." And I do, hell I don't care who he likes so long as they treat him right and make him happy. Not to mention I guess Kat was right, Adam isn't replacing me as his friend if they start dating.

"Doesn't matter, he doesn't like me like that." Yeah? What's wrong with him than?

"Well is he even gay or bisexual?"

"Yeah." Should I ask how he knows that? No, probably best not to.

"Than who's to say he won't like you like that?" He better, I'll kick his ass if he hurts your feelings. When he simply shrugs, I wrap an arm around his shoulders pulling him closer. "Never know until you ask him."

"What if he says no?"

"What if he says yes?"

To be continued…….