Nine

"Baby, baby, I'm taken with the notion," Dean sang, wrapping his arms around Roman's who was proof reading his assignment Wednesday evening. "To love you with the sweetest of devotion. Stop for a minute. Baby, I'm so glad you're mine, yeah."

"You missed a verse," his boyfriend commented.

"A ha! So you were listening," Dean beamed.

"Of course. I always listen to you."

"Really?" Dean licked his lips. "Would you listen to me if I asked you to take off your clothes now?"

Roman gave him a look.

"We're together now," Dean whined. "And you just said you always listen to me."

"There's a disclaimer in there somewhere."

"Disclaimer? I'm a horny guy! That's my disclaimer."

"Dean, you know I have to turn in this paper tomorrow." Roman then continued reading.

That won't do, Dean decided. He moved his hand to his boyfriend's inner thigh.

"Dean," Roman moaned when Dean started to kiss his neck while stroking it. "Stop it."

"Nope." He peppered more kisses. "I feel loose. I feel lubed up."

"Dean!"

Dean stopped what he was doing and sighed, starting to get out of the bed. "I think I'm calling it a night."

"Come on, Dean. We can fool around tomorrow."

"You said that yesterday and the day before and oh the day before," Dean reminded him. A thought hit him. "Maybe now that you've caught the prize, you're bored because there's no chase."

Roman looked appalled at the suggestion. "What? Don't be crazy. That's not true."

"Oh?"

"I love you, Dean. You know that."

Dean huffed before leaving the room. Roman's roommate, Seth was pacing in front of the door, looking worried.

Seth.

Seth Freaking Rollins.

Until recently, he barely saw the guy around in the room so it didn't bother him. Now however...

"You're leaving?" the two toned haired man asked.

"Yeah," came Dean's quick reply. "You know when he told me he had a roommate named Seth, it never crossed my mind that it'd be you."

"Dean-" Seth began but stopped when Roman came out of his room.

"Let me walk you back," Roman offered him. "We can talk-"

Dean wanted to be alone at that moment. Knowing Seth was here on campus, living with Roman was one thing; being rejected for his advances by his boyfriend was another. "It's fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

Or some other day.

That was a hard pill to swallow. Usually no one said no to him. Maybe Roman was no longer attracted to him.

Maybe there was someone else who was far more intriguing to him.

A block away, his phone vibrated and he found a text message from Finn: party at Karl's dorm! Now! He declined the invitation and decided to go back to his dorm instead.

Roman called him a few times but he didn't answer. The world was small and Dean felt smaller. Was this what being in love felt like? It was horrible, he decided.

"Dude, what's wrong with you?" Baron asked, with an overnight bag in his hand.

Dean threw himself on his bed face down. "I think I'm falling sick."

He felt Baron put the back of his hand on his forehead. "Nah. Lovesick, perhaps."

"Love stinks."

"I think there's a song for that."

His roommate was rambling about something but Dean was slowly shutting him off, eyes growing heavy.

Maybe he ought to call Roman when he woke up...

His boyfriend was a physical, touchy person, Roman decided as he took the elevator in Dean's dorm. A part of Roman felt warmed up thinking about it; he was probably the first person whom Dean had fallen in love with and also made love with.

Roman was surprised to find a tall dark haired man opening the door of Dean's room just as he raised his hand to knock.

"You must be Roman," the guy said. "Dean's in there. Sound asleep I think. Put the guy out of his misery."

Roman raised an eyebrow at the man's back before entering the room. He made sure to close the door shut softly when he was greeted by his boyfriend's sleeping form.

Carefully putting his bag aside, he climbed into bed and spooned Dean, his face near the back of his head where he placed a kiss.

Dean rolled onto the side, snuggling up to him. "Roman?"

"It's me," he replied softly.

Dean opened his eyes. "Love sucks."

Roman covered his mouth over his love's then, slowly building pressure in the kiss even though Dean was stiff, evidently trying to not reciprocate back.

"Dean."

"What?"

"Why are you holding back?"

"Do you know that I've been burnt badly?"

"By whom?"

"My ex boyfriend. My first one."

"Is he here on campus?"

Dean was quiet for a moment. "My past is slowly catching up with me. It's not too late for you to change your mind."

"Change my mind? About us? Dean, I knew what you were like. It's not exactly a secret."

Dean looked troubled. Roman planted soft kisses on his face, trailing it to his boyfriend's lips. With a sigh, Dean kissed him back. The grey eyed man could tell that Dean wasn't into it so he pecked him a few times before stopping. Then, without a word, he pulled him in and held him protectively. "Your heart's safe with me, Dean Ambrose," he whispered. "Always."

Dean's eyes were filled with tears when he heard those words from his loving boyfriend.

Fuck.

What did he do to deserve Roman? Dean couldn't wrap his head around that. The man deserved better than him. Had he known he'd meet someone like Roman, he would have done things differently. He would have not slept about the way he did, flirted the way he did…

His relationship with Seth was a good example of that.

Sixteen years old. Hormones on overdrive. Seth had looked exceptionally good in those skinny jeans and was drinking from the water fountain. They shared several classes and had not spoken until the two toned teenager had bumped into him in the hallway, colliding against one another with books and papers flying.

Seth shrugged it off, made some conversation and invited Dean to a crossfit class. Crossfit classes with him then turned into dates in a matter of a week and they were fucking within a week of talking.

But Dean was not one for commitment. One and a half month into his relationship with Seth, one of the football team guys had caught his eye and before he knew it, they were making out under the bleachers after practice.

He then broke up with Seth saying he felt suffocated being in a relationship. A few days later, Seth had caught them in one of their makeout sessions and threw a fit.

Obviously his attempts to reconcile his friendship with the crossfit enthusiast and even apologise fell flat. When Dean returned to school the next day, rumors were flying off the handle how he had slept with the footballer in question and broke poor Seth's heart. He had a hard time that year before people eventually moved on to something else. To make up for his lack of social life during that dreadful period, he attended parties of mutual friends.

That was where he had met Jason.

Dean had learnt his lesson the hard way. He was a different man now. For some reason, he was okay with Roman and he knew this was different because for the first time in his life, he was in love. He loved Roman. Knew he wanted to make this last for as long as he could.

A thought then hit him: Dolph never knew about that incident which meant Roman didn't know either.

Dean shuddered to think what would happen if Roman found out; he'd never look at him the same way.

He'd probably be fretting if Dean would do the same to him.

He'd probably see him as nothing but a cheater.

In the wee hours of the morning, Roman left Dean sound asleep in bed before dropping a kiss to his right cheek. "I love you," he whispered into his ear before kissing him there again for good measure.

Dean rolled over, his arm now over the space that was once the Samoan man.

When Roman returned back to his dorm, he found Seth typing on his laptop at the dining table. "You're up early," the nursing major commented.

"Roman," Seth said, putting his laptop aside. "I uh I gotta tell you something about Dean."

"Okay."

"Look, the reason why I've been cautioning you about him is because I dated the guy before. We went to the same high school."

"You're Dean's first boyfriend?!"

"Yeah. How did you know?"

"Well he mentioned being burnt badly and I met one of his exes."

"Him? Being burnt badly? Roman, he broke up with me after sleeping with someone else."

Roman's eyes widened. "Dean? Are you sure? Look, Seth, I may not know him as long as you but I doubt he'd cheat."

"Oh? Ask anyone who came from my high school. They'd tell you the same thing. It was a huge deal in our school since the guy in question was the wide receiver of our football team. One and a half month into our relationship, Roman! I'd worry if I were you." Seth looked at him earnestly. "You're a good person. I just don't want you to get hurt. That's all."

Roman contemplated over Seth's words as he laid down a while later after the two toned man had left to meet up with his girlfriend.

Dean a cheater? Should he be worried? Dolph never spoke of the incident which meant that he had no clue of it. Maybe Dean didn't want his cousin to know. His boyfriend's mention of his past catching up came back to him and Roman found himself wondering if taking the risk was worth it.

They met up at the same café they had gone to for their first date after their last class.

Dean found Roman looking at him with a bit more attentiveness than usual and his heart sank. He was pretty sure he had a rough idea why. He leaned forward at the counter to place their order the next morning.

The blond barista kept giving him glances; Dean was sure Roman would not appreciate that.

Well, once a cheater, always a cheater, his traitorous inner voice reminded him.

"They'll serve it to our table," Dean breezily informed his boyfriend. "Usually it's self service."

"Okay," Roman replied quietly. They chose a seat near the window overlooking the the school's lawn.

He observed Roman discreetly as his boyfriend typed on his cellphone.

"So, I'm afraid I have to cancel our plans for Friday night," Dean informed him apologetically. "I have something on that night."

"Something like what?" Roman probed.

"Covering our football team's game against Dallas."

"Oh. Do you think they have a good chance of winning?"

"Well, that's what I'm finding out on Friday."

"I guess I'll go out with Jimmy then," Roman said.

Dean decided to explain himself further in case Roman got the wrong idea. "If I write this and the editor of Amber Gazette likes it, they'll feature it there. I got the spot because of-"

"One mocha and one espresso," the barista repeated as he placed the cups on the table. The nerve of Blondie, smiling flirtatiously at him. Dean did not need arousing any suspicion in Roman.

"Do you know the guy?" Roman asked when the barista left.

"No." Dean leaned back in his chair. "I have no idea who he is."

"Baby boy, we need to talk. Seth told me about your shared past this morning."

Dean guessed as much. He closed his mouth and looked down. Roman was obviously going to break up with him. "I knew it was too good to be true," Dean commented softly.

"Dean-"

"Just do it quickly, Roman."

"Do what?" Roman quizzed.

"Just get it over and done with."

"Get what over with, Dean?"

"Breaking up with me," Dean answered. "Just do it quickly and spare me the agonising wait. I deserve it, okay? I deserve it after all I've done."

Roman was evidently taken aback. "Why would I want to do that for? Just because he told me something like that? That's your past, babe. I can't and I won't judge you for it."

"But I didn't sleep with anyone when I was with him, Roman. It was just make out sessions."

"Dean, I don't care either way. I only care about how you treat me. That's all."

"But-"

"And you treat me good, baby boy so don't worry. I only wanted to assure you that I trust you one hundred percent." Roman reached for his hand across the table. "And you can trust me too. It goes both ways."

"Aren't you scared, Roman? Aren't you scared that I'll just wake up one day and leave you?"

"Would you?"

"I asked you first."

A small smiled graced Roman's face. "No, Dean. I'm not afraid. I told you that after you're done playing the field that you'd run back to me to hold on to you for life. You're here, aren't you?"

"Maybe you'll wake up one day and leave when you realise what a mess I am."

"Nah. You're it for me. I spent a good amount of time waiting for you. I'm not letting you get away so easily. I'd tell you to go ahead and do your thing out there like you did before but I know you won't agree."

"That's quite the confidence, Roman."

"Okay, Dean. You can go out there and-"

"No. No more. I'm done."

"That was fast."

"Ha ha."

"I know you love me, Dean. That's mostly where my confidence in you comes from."

Simple words but it drove the point home to Dean, making his heart swell with love and pride; pride that this man was his and he was this man's.

"Now," Roman continued as he caressed his hand, "tell me more about this opportunity for Amber Gazette…"

And Dean happily filled him in.

A/N Awww...