a/n: Another Terrornuckel thing, enjoy!

Timing is Everything

Everything okay? You got kinda quiet near the end… Brian thumbed the text quickly just before shutting his PC off. This was nothing new, this was a usual occurrence, something that he noticed that was happening a lot more as of late. He hated it, but his heart was in the right place. Just then, his phone rang, buzzing and chiming furiously in his hand. Brock. He answered it almost immediately. "Hey Br…" He could barely get his name off his lips before Brock interrupted him.

"You know why I get quiet. I don't know why you always text me… You do this." The older man got out, his voice wavering ever so slightly. He was lucky that for the moment he was home alone; he was angry and hurt.

Brian felt guilty, "I just like to make sure you're okay…" He trailed off, brows furrowing in confusion. What did he do that was so bad? Why had his best friend been so mad at him lately? All they did was play games together, text each other every now and again… Why was that so horrible? The Irishman couldn't wrap his head around it.

"Well I'm not okay. Happy?" Brock retorted quickly. "You have to stop this, and this is the last time I'm going to tell you." He sounded tired, sad and in that moment Brian's heart was breaking for the umpteenth time since he'd became involved with Brock and their crazy relationship that was never ever clearly defined.

"Stop what, exactly? Being your friend? Because I could never do that."

The older man sighed, "The flirting, Brian. The nicknames, the affection… All of it has to stop, we're friends and friends don't do that." It was true, Brian had been known to go a little overboard at times with the jokes, the innuendos, the witty banter… But it was only because he had feelings for Brock, feelings that he knew would never go away. So time and time again, he ended up having to hide his heart.

He was upset now, "Friends that love each other do."

"Brian…"

This was a conversation the two had all too often, and it was something that neither of them wanted to hear. In a perfect world, they'd be together, but they messed up because timing is everything. "Don't you ever want to know what could have been?" The Irishman inquired sadly. It was something he thought about a lot.

Brock sighed on the other end of the phone, "It's too late… If you would have asked me years ago I would have said yes. I love you Brian, you know I do, but I'm married now… I have a family. And you have a girlfriend." It was the truth that came out every time they talked like this, and it hurt both of them so much. "We never got the timing right." Brock concluded.

"I'm sorry." Brian tried to swallow the ever growing lump in his throat. He didn't know why he always did this to himself. "I'll um, I'll be a better friend." He nodded, mostly to himself.

"I know it hurts," The older man replied. "But it's just what has to be. Thank you for understanding." He could tell he made Brian upset and he felt awful for it; but it was true, it would be so much hassle to pursue a relationship with Brian - they were two different people, at two different places in their lives, and Brock was happy with his family. "I'll talk to you later?" He knew he needed to give Brian time to calm down.

"Yeah." The Irishman agreed. "Later…" He was about to end the phone call when another thought crossed his busy mind. "Hey Brock?" He hated this, he hated this with every fiber in his being. In another world maybe they would have ended up together, but he figured he would take being just friends rather than not having Brock in his life at all.

"Hm?"

"I love you." He was sure this was probably the last time he would get to tell the older man considering it was taboo between them. It felt melancholic.

Brock sighed once more, "I love you too." He got out before hanging up the phone.