Silence.

That's what Roman was dealing with right now.

Dean was sitting adjacent from him on the bed, with his knees up towards his body. Roman asked him about three separate times if he called Cody and Dean would just give him a look and then shake his head in disappointment. It was after five minutes when Roman looked down at his phone and saw that the incoming call was from Cody. Dean hadn't called him. But he did pick up the phone call.

"…So why did you answer?" Roman finally asked, turning his head to look at Dean. "You owe me at least that much."

Dean's head slowly lifted from his knees, then he sort of just shrugged. "I think we both know why I answered Ro." His tone was harsh, and so was his gaze. Those blue eyes turned cold as he turned his back on Roman, and looked towards the wall. "But if you want to pretend you don't understand why I did what I did, then that's on you."

"That's because I don't understand!" Roman now shouted, moving across the bed so he could sit next to Dean. "You know I'm with Cody, Dean. You knew it when we kissed. You knew when we- "

"Fucked?" Dean blurted out, cutting him off. Those same cold blue eyes now looking at Roman with utter contempt. "Because that's all you see me as right? A good fuck." Dean turned away again, this time getting up and looking out the window.

"You know you're more than that to me Deano." Roman said back, standing up until he was behind Dean. His arms reached around him from behind and caught Dean's hands at the middle. Dean let Roman hold onto him, sighing out as their hands connected perfectly. "You know how much you mean to me." Roman's voice was so light as he whispered his words against Dean's neck.

"Do I?" Dean now asked, closing his eyes. "We've been at this for a while Ro. Dating, fucking, fighting, loving… hurting each other." As Dean spoke he felt soft, irresistible, lips touch the base of his neck in a kiss. Dean sighed again, this time grabbing onto Roman's hands tighter, as his lips moved back up towards his ear. "I love you, but this has been eating at me for a while now. I need to know…" Dean slowly lifted his head so that he could look into Roman's eyes. "Do you want to be with me?"

As he asked the question he could see the confusion in those gray clouds Roman called eyes. He still held Dean tight but his gaze faltered, as Roman started to think about Cody. How could he hurt him? How could he let Cody go when he's been nothing but good to him?

"I don't think that's isn't a fair question." Roman retorted, while slowly releasing his hold on Dean. "You know I'm with Cody. You know my situation, Dean. I can't just break up with him…"

"Yes you could, if you really wanted too." Dean fired back, turning around so that he stood face to face with Roman. "But I don't think you really want too." Dean's voice was so eerily calm, almost like he was tired. He was actually, tired of it all. He let out a deep sigh then walked over to the closet, and took his bags out of it.

"What are you doing?" Roman said, panic taking over his voice.

"I'm packing." Dean replied as he picked up his suitcase and placed it on the bed, then went to Roman's dresser and took out his clothes. "You can't make up your mind," The clothes dropped onto the bed, making a small sound. "So I'm making it for you. I'm done."

"What?" Roman's voice was so shaky as he watched Dean pack his clothes. "What do you mean you're done?"

"I mean done, Ro. Like done. It was a mistake coming here, and letting you fuck me. It was a mistake to allow myself to fall for you all over again like a fucking idiot." Roman could tell Dean was getting mad from the way he slammed his clothes into his suitcase without even trying to fold them.

"So it's my fault that we're in love?" Roman scoffed at him, but Dean refused to look or answer him. "You're really trying to put all the blame on me? YOU were the one who left me remember? You had me Dean. I was ready to be yours until we were two old and gray dickbags sitting on a porch and nagging each other! But it was YOU who decided to leave. YOU who decided I wasn't worth a GODDAMN goodbye! And now it's my fault for being confused and in love with two separate men?" Roman noticed Dean smirk at that, it only made him angrier. "What the fuck are you smiling about?"

"The fact that you think you're in love with that asshole. It's pretty fucking funny if you ask me." Dean spat as he slapped his suitcase flap down and zipped it up.

"What makes you think I'm not in love with Cody?" Roman countered.

"Well, it could be the fact that you probably never once told him. Or the fact that you were just balls deep in me not 10 hours ago? I don't know Ro; why don't you pick one."

"Fuck you!" Roman now shouted, probably alerting everyone in the house now, including Roman's parents. "You know nothing!"

"I know that you're a fucking coward who would rather spend his life pretending with Cody then fucking be with me." Dean's voice cracked with emotion and his eyes filled to the brim with tears as he said his last sentence. He shook his head and ran frustrated fingers through his blond hair.

"You don't know what I want." Roman whimpered back, his own eyes filling with tears too.

"Roman you don't even know what you want." Came the sobbed the reply from Dean. He sniffled then wiped his face with the back of his hand. "You wanna be with Cody? You wanna pretend that we didn't just make love. That we don't connect the way no one gives us…then fine. I'll let you be that guy. But if when you're ready to give up the ghost of who I was, for the guy I am right now. Which is a guy who happens to be totally, insanely in love with you… then give me a call." He stomped over to his boots and put them on quick and the closet creaked as he took his leather jacket out and put it on. Roman was standing there in his boxers, crying as he watched Dean pack up to leave. He had no idea what to say. All he knew was that his heart felt like it was breaking. Just like it did all those years ago when he found Dean gone and their apartment empty.

"I'm leaving." Dean finally said as he placed on his red flyers beanie. "Is there something you wanna say to me before I leave?" He asked Roman, who just stood there, with his arms crossed and head down. Dean let out a sigh and grabbed his suitcase. "Fine. I guess this is goodbye then…" Silence. "I do love you, Roman. I'm not leaving like I did all those years ago."

"You're not?" Roman sniffled sarcastically. "What do you call this then?"

"I'm giving you space to think about what you want. I'm officially bowing out. He's won, I get it now. But if you ever want to talk, I'm there. If you need me, I'm there. Always okay?"

"You can't do this to me again Dean." Roman said as he finally looked up at him.

"I didn't do it this time Ro." Dean said sadly.

"You did."

Two days later.

"There you are!" Seth said as Dean let him inside his home. "So no call, no text, not even a note by carrier owl to let me know you got home safe?" Seth followed Dean into the house, closing the door behind him. Dean walked into the kitchen and immediately opened the fridge, taking out some chilled bourbon. "Roman told me you came home yesterday, yet I'm not your first call? What is this?" Seth watched his best friend take out a glass, toss some ice in it and then pour and drink in succession.

"Want some?" Is all Dean managed to say as he gulped down the brown liquid rather quickly.

"Okay… couple of things…. One." Seth took the glass out of Dean's hand and slammed it down on his marble counter top. "It's 11am. Two, what the fuck happened to your hair?" Seth pushed the unruly blond mane back a bit, trying to fix it. "Three, you reek of bourbon and sadness. What happened with Roman?"

Dean shrugged, picking the glass back up and refilling it. "He couldn't choose. Between me, and that twink on two legs. So I told him that I was done with him and us and now I'm trying to drink myself into an early grave." Dean raised his glass up as if he was toasting then he drank another glass down in almost one gulp.

"Okay. No more bourbon." Seth grabbed the bottle from Dean then placed it back in the fridge, "C'mon, let's get you cleaned up and something to eat other than ice, and we can talk about it in your room." He took the glass away from the whiskey soaked Dean, then let him put his arms around him. Dean smiled softly as Seth helped him up the stairs. He laid Dean out on the bed and then went to go run the shower. After Seth got it at the right temperature he went to go get Dean, stripping him of his clothes and carrying him into the shower. Dean shook off a little bit of his day drinking binge as Seth called for Italian food. He waited for it while Dean finished up and up once he did, the pizza came, and both men decided to eat it inside of Dean's bed.

As they were eating and watching an old episode of cold case, Seth noticed Dean take something from underneath his pillow. It was like a picture. Dean smiled at it, then sighed, tossing it down onto the floor.

"What was that?" Seth asked.

"What was what?"

"That picture."

"What picture?"

"Dean. Don't be coy. Pick it up, let me see." Dean sighed at Seth then picked it up and handed the picture to Seth. It was the same picture in the frame at Roman's house. Dean had stolen it before he left. Seth looked at it then placed it back under Dean's pillow. "I guess it would be a good time to talk about Roman now huh?" Seth asked gently.

"Sure." Dean replied, laying down against the pillows.

"I get that you love him Dean and maybe giving him an ultimatum wasn't the brightest ideas but, I can't fault you for it."

"Wait, seriously?" Dean was shocked that Seth was actually on his side for once.

"Yeah, I mean, Roman knows Cody doesn't make him happy. Deep down inside, that's the truth. He even told me he just feels safe with him. It's a security thing. With you, there's a bigger chance of getting hurt than it is with Cody. It's why he stays. He's scared that he'll give you his everything again and you'll just break his heart." Seth took another slice of pizza as he continued, "It's not wrong to want him to choose."

"I know… I mean, you're right." Dean smiled a bit at his best friend. "But, if making him choose was the right thing to do, then why do I feel so… empty?"

"That could be because you're hopelessly in love with him." Seth said with a laugh. Dean blushed, and then nodded, letting Seth know he was spot on without words. "It's actually sickening how perfect you guys are… were together." Seth admitted, while sipping some water.

"If we were so perfect, he would be here, and you wouldn't be."

"You've got a point." Seth nodded, then looked over at Dean. "But if you weren't perfect for each other, you guys wouldn't be fighting for your love either."

"Do you think he'll ever wise up and see that I'm right for him?" Dean asked his best friend seriously. "Like do you think he'll ever come back to me? What if that was the final straw for him? What if I fucked it up so bad this time that he won't even consider coming back to me?"

"I think that you underestimate how Roman feels about you." Seth said with a mouth full of pizza.

"…And you really underestimate how much he actually cares about Cody Rhodes."

"Cody?" Roman shouted as he came home the next day. He really didn't know what to expect. He knew that Cody knew now that Dean was with him in Florida. He also knew that Cody didn't like cheaters. He told Roman that Cesaro came home to burned suits when Cody found out he was cheating. So Roman really didn't expect to walk in on Cody in his room… packing quietly.

"Codes?" Roman said as he came closer to him. "Hey. I came home early so we could um, you know talk about what happened in Florida." Cody still said nothing so Roman just watched him pack his stuff. "So… I see you're packing. You're moving out I guess?"

"Oh I'm sorry, did you want me to stay here and lie in the same bed that you probably have fucked Dean in?" Roman could tell by Cody's tone that he wasn't the least bit happy with him. He clenched his jaw and slowly sat down on the bed next to Cody's suitcase.

"Cody, I'm sorry –" Roman began to say.

"You slept with him." Cody wasn't asking it like a question. It was a statement. A statement full of hatred and anger.

"Yes." Roman didn't see the use of lying when Cody already knew the truth. "I did… but Cody please, just listen to me- "

"You brought him to Florida with you, so you two can have a little getaway. So you can fucking cheat on me with that little cock slut Dean. Who left you high and dry when you were so fucking in love with him." Cody started to violently tossed a shirt into his suitcase. "And you expect me to just listen to you? Listen to you lie to me and say what? Oh no Cody it was an accident; my cock just fell into Dean's asshole. Over and over and over again?" Cody rolled his eyes. "Please Roman."

"It wasn't a getaway and I didn't plan on sleeping with Dean, Cody!" Roman sighed, "It kind of just happened. I brought him to figure out what I wanted, and when he disrespected you I told him off." Cody eyed Roman suspiciously. "But when everyone went to sleep, Dean came over and helped me clean and then… next thing I know we were dancing in my backyard and a song was playing. Then he just kissed me and from there it was just…" For a second Roman got lost in his own sentence as he thought back to their kisses, how it felt to be inside Dean again, the way he looked when Roman was fucking him…

"IT WAS JUST WHAT ROMAN?" Cody shouted, snapping Roman out of his Dean filled memories. "Was it fucking magical? Huh? Is that why your mouth is open and you're staring off into space like a lost cat in heat?"

"What?" Roman shook his head. "No. Okay, Cody listen to me. I went there to see if I could choose between you two. To see if I could finally make a choice…"

"A choice? A CHOICE?" Cody was livid. "WE'RE IN A RELATIONSHIP ROMAN. WHAT CHOICE COULD YOU POSSIBLY HAVE TO MAKE?"

"About who I want to be happy with." Roman said, as his eyes filled with tears. "Despite you thinking that I'm this heartless bastard, please consider that I am in love with Dean. You knew that when we started dating. You knew that when you moved in. IT HASN'T CHANGED. I fucking tried okay. I tried to change it. But I can't." Roman shook his head as Cody watched him break down. "I hurt you, and you're right to pack up and leave and never speak to me again. Because he'll always be there Cody. Always. He surrounds me, when I'm with him it's like… Christmas every single day of the year. I don't blame you for leaving. I'm just sorry that I hurt you the way I did."

Roman got up without another word to Cody and walked to the bathroom, slamming the door.

Cody stood there by the bed for a moment, just contemplating. Roman had finally admitted what Cody feared most. He was still in love with another man. That man being a self-centered, egotistical, jackass who didn't deserve Roman's love or his heart. Cody had a choice to make, he could walk away and let Dean win or... he could knock on the door.

Knock. "Roman?"

Knock. "Roman, open the door."

Cody was going to knock again but as his knuckles reached the brown door, he saw it swing open and Roman standing there with red eyes and a frown.

"I'm not going to pretend I'm happy with you anymore and I'm not gonna pretend like this is the perfect relationship." Cody laughed humorlessly while looking down. "But I love you, Roman and a part of me knows you love me too. I know you said you love him as well but you wouldn't of come back here apologizing if you didn't love me."

"Apart of me does." Roman admitted, "But, Cody I..."

"Shh, for once Ro, just listen?" Roman nodded and let Cody continue. "If you go back to him, he'll just hurt you again. You know that as well as I do. So if you don't want to get hurt again, and you want to make it work with me then I need something from you."

"What is it?" Roman asked with hopeful eyes.

"I'm moving back to California…. and I want you to come with me."

"Like to help you move?"

"No. Roman. I want you to live with me… in Cali."

Two weeks later.

It wasn't as cold as the groundhog predicted it would be in around January.

Or maybe Roman just couldn't feel the cold breeze anymore. At least that's what he told himself as he stood in front of Dean's house for an hour, waiting for him to come home. It was kind of funny, Roman should be used to waiting for Dean by now. But he wasn't still. This man owned a piece of him, so much so that Roman would risk hypothermia just so he could speak to him.

Dean's car drove into his driveway and that's when Roman stood up and waited. Dean had like two shopping bags full of food in his hand as he closed his car door with his foot and then walked up the path towards his house. He was desperately searching for his keys and didn't notice Roman standing right by his door.

"Hi." Roman said, causing Dean to look up from his pockets.

As soon as Dean saw him both of his bags dropped straight to the ground. Tomatoes and kale spilled on the concrete as Dean looked at him. "Ro..." He whispered softly. His expensive shoe crunched over an expensive tomato as he came closer.

"Hey, Dean. I was hoping I could talk to you."

"No." Dean said back, cutting him off.

"No?" Roman asked confused.

"No." Dean said again, this time walking closer to Roman until he was face to face with him. "I don't wanna talk." Dean whispered, right before pulling Roman in slowly. Roman looked at him, his mouth wanted to say something so badly. But he was getting lost in Dean's eyes, in his gaze, in him... all over again. Dean looked into Roman's eyes, then his soft lips before he reached in and gave him a slow, meaningful kiss. Roman's ice cold lips heated up against Dean's and soon they were making out by the door. Roman was all over Dean, letting his tongue dominate Dean's smaller one, and letting his hands cup Dean's face so he could steady him. Dean did that little moan he does in Roman's mouth, the one that always turns Roman on. Fuck. Roman had to stop this. He groaned against Dean's lips then stopped abruptly, slowly pulling away, but not so much. Their foreheads touched, and their eyes were closed as love, and silence replaced the feel of cold air. Dean smiled and shook his head happily. Roman had come back to him. It was a miracle.

"Dean..." Roman whispered his name so desperately. So needy, like he wouldn't ever get to say it again.

"Yeah?" Dean asked back, licking his lips so he could steal the remnants of Roman right off of them.

"I'm moving to California."

A/N: That was the penultimate chapter. Thanks to everyone who has reviewed and viewed the fic. One more chapter to go. Along with my thanks and stuff. -Melle