Trent began opening up more to Nathaniel during visits. He told him everything about his past with Rebecca— how he had fallen in love with her at first sight in college, how he'd been too shy and awkward to say anything, how he'd moved to Los Angeles and started a tech company around the same time she had moved to West Covina to be near Josh, how he'd kept a close eye on her, stolen her socks and underwear, but never made a direct move until she added him on Facebook. How his heart had leapt for joy, how he had done everything he could think of to prove himself to her, how bittersweet their short time together had been. How he had tried, and failed, to befriend Josh and his friends so he could have an in with her. How delighted he had been when she asked him to sleep with her, because he had saved himself for her, how he'd thought sleeping with her would make her fond of him as it had worked with Greg. How, when it hadn't, he struggled every day with heartache, how sometimes breathing itself became a struggle, how hard he had worked to manifest their love story into being, how hard he had to work to continue convincing himself to stay strong and keep fighting. How he'd gotten desperate and made foolish mistakes, and how agonizing it was that, even after everything that had happened, he still….
Nathaniel listened, and gently wiped Trent's eyes with the crappy little hospital tissues when things got intense. He wasn't sure he could relate to Trent's level of devotion, but Rebecca had been the only person besides his nanny who had ever made him feel loved, at least, before Trent had clued him in that George had a thing for him. He couldn't imagine being lonely enough to try to make friends with Josh and his idiot bros. But then, he guessed that Trent wasn't friendless by choice.
There was something Nathaniel wanted to know, though: "When she put out a hit on Mona, was that what inspired you to come after me?"
"We are two of a kind," Trent sighed. "I just wish she could see it."
"Actually…" Nathaniel began, then started to turn.
Trent immediately looked more alert. "What?"
"I'm sorry, I thought I heard a creak. I was saying, actually, that might be part of the problem. They say our sins look worse on other people. Maybe the problem is that you're too much alike, and you remind her of things she doesn't like about herself."
Trent considered this. "She did call me a manifestation of her guilt, in the elevator," he recalled. "It just kills me that she asked you to help her destroy Josh Chan, when I could have done it quicker and cleaner, without involving his family, no offense—"
"None taken, I was flexing," Nathaniel admitted.
"—and I could have given her the money to buy the shares of Whitefeather from Darryl's ex-wife, but she reached out to everyone but me. Why don't I even cross her mind until I put myself right in her path?" Trent's voice cracked; Nathaniel gently wiped his eyes.
xoxo
On the other side of the slightly-ajar door, Rebecca and Paula exchanged a look. Nathaniel was visiting Trent regularly. Trent was confiding in Nathaniel, and Nathaniel was sympathetic! They were discussing Rebecca, their mutual ex, without even a hint of animosity between them! This didn't happen… did it?
"This is where Nathaniel has been going every night after work?" Rebecca whispered, appalled. Paula shrugged, as if to say, 'I told you so.'
"They look like a couple. This is… so not right. I would have preferred it if Nathaniel really was dating George," Rebecca continued, forgetting to whisper.
Nathaniel cleared his throat as he opened the door fully. "I am," he said.
Both women stared at him, flabbergasted. Paula was the first to recover. "Then, what the hell do you call this?" she demanded.
"A triad?" Trent called from his bed.
"Actually, it's a V," Nathaniel corrected. "A triad would be if you and George were also seeing each other."
Rebecca snapped her fingers in front of Nathaniel's face. "Nathaniel? You're dating the man who tried to kill you?"
Nathaniel rolled his eyes at her antics. "Technically, we haven't been out on a date yet."
"Uh-huh. But, ya want to. What?!"
"Rebecca, if I may remind you, you broke up with both of us."
"I didn't break up with Trent!" Rebecca snapped. "Our relationship wasn't real! He was blackmailing me!"
"Yes, he told me. Look, just because you don't want to date him doesn't mean no-one does. In fact," Nathaniel invented wildly, "he's actually turned down a lot of people!"
"Really." Paula was skeptical.
"Yes, he's practically had to beat them off with a stick, because he only had eyes for Rebecca."
Rebecca peered around Nathaniel. "Trent? Is this true?"
Trent didn't answer. It was partially true— he had turned down several dates in the past because of his singular focus on Rebecca. But how was this any concern of hers, since she had made it clear they would never be together and she would never love him?
"Of course it's true," Nathaniel scoffed. "He told me he was a virgin when you—"
Rebecca held up a hand to stop him. "Okay, yep. I guess I believe you. But if that's the case, why is he letting you date him?"
"Excuse me? Why do you care? You pushed him off a building!"
"To save your life!"
"So you say."
"Oh, now you don't believe me?"
"You pled guilty! You insisted on going to prison! And you're not exactly known for radical honesty."
"Guys, STOP!" Trent pleaded. "Please, don't fight like this. Rebecca, yes, I'm dating Nathaniel. He talks to me and listens to me. He's interested in getting to know me, and he's forgiven me for what happened at his party. And yes, he's also dating George. They go out after Nathaniel leaves here. And I'm sorry, but after how you've treated both of us, you don't have the right to pass judgment on our choices. Now please, I'd like you and Paula to leave so I can get some rest. Nathaniel, you can stay." It broke Trent's heart all over again to send Rebecca away, but it also hurt and confused him to see her actively try to keep him from moving on.
Rebecca was shocked. Trent had never, ever said anything like that to her before. Since when didn't he want her in his presence? And he was seriously dating Nathaniel?! While Nathaniel was dating another man? So Nathaniel had essentially replaced herself and Mona with two guys. Wow. She threw a scornful look in the direction of Trent's bed and stormed out, Paula in tow.
Nathaniel saw them off with a sarcastically bright smile and wave, then closed the door and went back to sit with Trent.
"Are you okay?" he asked.
"I don't know," came the soft, almost wilting, reply. Trent sniffled and looked up at Nathaniel. "Why did you tell her that? About me turning people down? That makes me sound kind of mean, doesn't it?"
Nathaniel ran a hand through his hair. "Trent… you still love her, right?"
"... I probably shouldn't, should I?" Trent asked, his voice still small.
"That's not the point," Nathaniel said gently. "I assumed you do, so I used a little bit of reverse psychology on her. It's kind of a scummy technique, and it doesn't work on everyone, but she's the kind of woman who wants what other people have. Now she thinks that you had plenty of other options, but you chose her, and that will make her feel special. She also thinks you're moving on, with me, and leaving behind anything you two could have had in the past. That will make her feel like she's missing out."
Trent took all this in. Then he said, "You're right. That's really scummy. But if it works and she takes me back, you're brilliant. And if I actually do move on with you and she turns out to be just a mistake I spent the first decade of my adult life making…. I guess that works out, too."
Nathaniel took his hand. "The fact that you're even considering the possibility of moving on is a good thing. And if she does come around— I'm not promising she will, but if she does— I'll try to be okay with just being a fling you have until then."
Trent gave a small smile. "Nathaniel, you're already more to me than just a fling. We haven't even… and you've already helped me so much."
Nathaniel smiled back at him and thumbed his hand gently. "Do you want me to stay here with you tonight? I know her showing up was shocking."
Trent nodded gratefully. George would understand.
xoxo
George understood, but George did not like it one bit. He had quickly grown addicted to Nathaniel's touch, his kisses, the way Nathaniel looked at him when they were alone. He hadn't formed an opinion about Trent at the office as Rebecca's boyfriend, or at the party as a waiter, but he sure as hell had an opinion of Trent at the hospital as Nathaniel's other boyfriend: he hated him. Part of it was George just not wanting to share Nathaniel but being unwilling to make that stand in case he lost Nathaniel altogether. But also, there was something strange about Trent. George had had his suspicions when Rebecca had claimed Trent tried to murder Nathaniel, but after they'd met in the hospital, George had no trouble believing her.
But again, he didn't want Nathaniel to dump him, so he wrote back:
See you at work, then. Thinking of you ;)
Then he went to bed early and sulked to sleep.
