Sixteen

Roman's mother had requested for Dean to be released for a day so that she could give the whole family a treat before the family flew back to Pensacola the next morning. She felt that it was the least she could do for the auburn haired man after the treatment he had been given.

Dean wasn't too keen on going though. He voiced this to Roman when he stopped over to visit him. "They're up to something," he said. "I refuse to believe that they're okay about us now."

"Baby boy, not everything has a hidden agenda behind it," Roman replied. "Maybe they've changed."

"Or not. I didn't exactly part on good terms with them."

Roman sighed. "I've spoken to Dr Foley and he's okay with letting you go for a day. Please? It's important to me that you be there."

"Damn it, Roman."

"Damn what?"

"You know I have a hard time saying no to you."

They drove down to the Hilton Hotel where the lunch was held in a restaurant called Tundra where a vast variety of food from different countries were served. Roman's family and Manu were already there and when the raven haired man's siblings gave Dean a displeased look, Roman frowned and called them out on it. "Stop it," he snapped.

"Dean," Helen said. "Thank you for coming." She looked pale, he noted.

Dean murmured a thank you and sat down beside Roman. Helen had already ordered a huge selection of seafood and some roast meat. The family made some chit chat while Dean ate quietly even though Roman tried his best to get the Steel Hounds' lead singer to talk.

Towards the end of the meal, Rosey requested for Manu and Roman to follow him to talk about something private. Dean wondered what it was about but decided it wasn't in his place to ask. He was left with the women.

"Dean, I can't tell you how happy I am that you came," Helen started. "We owe you a huge apology for the way we've treated you."

He said nothing. Truthfully, he wasn't ready to forgive anyone so easily.

"I can see you're still upset."

"I have a right to be," he finally replied. "I don't care what Roman says. I don't care what you say. I'm not forgiving any of you. The only reason why I came here was because of him."

"I can respect that," Helen replied.

"Mum, don't let him talk to you that way," Angel said.

"He's right, Angel."

"But remember what Dad said?"

Dean snorted. "That old man? What did he say that hasn't been said? Your father was manipulative and tried to blackmail me. And I'm not the only one who thought so. Ask your brother himself."

One of Roman's sisters glared at him. "Roman wouldn't talk about our father that way. Don't put words in our brother's mouth."

"Stop it, please," Helen requested. "Dean, my husband hasn't been gone for a week. So please. If you will."

"I'm just telling the truth. Why am I the bad guy?" he asked. "He said it was on me if Roman and him didn't reconcile-"

"It is," Angel insisted. "It is your fault and you know it. You should have stayed gone. Yeah, Rosey read your note to Roman. So what are you doing here?"

Serena nodded. "Manu was a good friend, staying with him for the wake and funeral. You disappeared. Some boyfriend you are."

"Because you didn't want me around. You were mourning and me being there would have made it harder for you all-"

"It still is hard."

Dean stood up just as Roman was returning to the table laughing with Manu. "Dean?" he asked. "Where-"

"Fuck your family! And stay the fuck away from me!" he snapped as he stormed swiftly out of the restaurant.

"What?" his boyfriend said. Dean was almost out of the lobby when heard Roman shout out his name. "Dean! What's going on?"

"Ask your family!"

"But I want to hear from you." He ignored Roman and hailed for a taxi. His boyfriend spun him around. "Dean, talk to me!"

"Stay away from me, Roman. I told you that your family was up to something. You kept insisting that I showed up."

"It's for lunch and-"

"Lunch? Lunch or an insult throwing session? Did you know they were going to do that?"

"They what? No, of course not! I wouldn't have brought you here otherwise."

The bellman came near him. "Sir, your taxi is here."

"Dean," Roman pleaded. "I'll send you back-"

"No! Go back to them."

"I don't want-"

He ignored Roman and got into the taxi, telling the driver to speed off. The auburn haired man was beyond livid. He was furious and he had never felt this way in a long time.

Roman stood at the driveway in shock.

Dean had left him. They were done… maybe for good. He felt his knees turn into jelly.

"Roman?" Manu came up behind him. "Your mother's going off on your sisters there. I gave Rosey an earful. I think they headed up to the room. Where's Dean?"

"He left," he answered numbly.

"To go back to the rehab?"

"I don't know. I think he left me." He went back inside the hotel with Manu behind him to the suite his family was staying in.

"Roman," Rosey said when he opened the door. "I had no idea-"

He threw a punch to his brother which sent him sprawling on the carpeted floor. There was a gasp from his sisters.

"You are all dead to me," he cried. "Instead of being happy that I found someone who loved me and cared for me, you treated him like a leper. And now I've lost him. I don't want anything from anyone anymore. Despite how everyone felt about us being together, he insisted that I flew over to make amends with Dad before he passed on. And this is how you treat him? And me? I don't need you. Just stay out of my life!"

He walked out of the room with Manu following him. "Roman," his friend said. "Come on. We'll head down to the centre-"

"He asked me to stay away from him," he sobbed. "Twice. How can I go back?"

"Roman, don't say that. You have to fight for your love."

"No, I'm a terrible boyfriend. I let him down..." He couldn't even finish his sentence. He was heartbroken and torn apart. There was no way Dean would want him again after what happened today.

"Roman, I've known you for a long time. I've never known you to give up easily. You're coming with me and you're going to sort it out with him."

His friend had to yank him by the arm all the way down to the taxi. All throughout the journey, Roman couldn't stop crying. Manu asked him if Dean had any other friends that could talk to him. The grey eyed man could only think of Corey, Seth and Paul.

"Do you have any of their numbers?"

Roman gave Corey's.

He requested to stop by the bank nearby first.

After that, they reached the reception of the centre where Dr Foley was talking to a nurse. When he saw Roman, he shook his head. "He was adamant that he wouldn't see any visitors."

"Not even Roman?" Manu asked.

"Especially Roman."

Roman turned around and as if on cue, Corey appeared with Paul. "Woah, Roman," the tattooed rhythm guitarist said. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going back to the house," he replied.

"No, you're not. You're not leaving yet. You two need to sort it out."

"He doesn't want to see me. He left instructions-"

Paul laughed. "Who cares what he wants?"

"Ummm Paul," Dr Foley said. "Our patients have a right to their own privacy."

"Yeah okay but we are his friends and we've been there for him through his highs and lows. Roman is his high."

"Doesn't work that way, Paul."

"Dr Foley, please," Corey implored.

"Dean was dead serious, Corey," Dr Foley said. "I have to respect his wishes."

"But-"

"You can roam anywhere but you aren't allowed anywhere near him."

Corey crossed his arms. "I'm his best friend. This is how he treats me?"

"Fine," Paul agreed. "We'll roam."

Roman took out an envelope from his pocket and shoved it in Paul's hands. "Is this a letter?" the Steel Hounds' manager asked.

"No. This is the money he left for me. I don't want it. I never wanted his money. I only wanted-" He walked out of the centre. It was pointless. What Dean wanted, he got and he wanted Roman away from him.

He was pulled by all three men back inside. "Oh no you don't," Paul said. "We're all on team Ambreigns."

"What?"

"Ambreigns," Paul replied. "Ambrose and Reigns. Ambreigns."

Corey chuckled. "That's actually smart."

"I know. Alright, I'll roam. You all wait here. Corey, you said it's usually free and easy?"

"Yeah about this time."

"Okay."

Dean stared out at the distance, his mind running and his fists clenched.

The last time he had been this furious, he got the man arrested. His father. The man was now rotting in jail. His thoughts went back to this afternoon. Roman's family were all stuck in the stone age and were clearly set in their ways of thinking.

And Roman? Did he even listen to a word Dean had said? He knew that Dean wouldn't say no to him. What the hell was he thinking by inviting him to that damn lunch?

"Aaah I love fresh air."

He froze and glared at Paul. "I said no visitors," he snapped.

"Woah. I was just taking a walk," his manager replied.

"Here of all places? How convenient!"

Paul sat beside him. "Isn't it? Alright, what happened?"

He moved away from his manager a bit further. "I'm not here to pour my heart out to you."

"But you're in here because you want to quit drinking."

"Yes!"

"Because of him."

"Don't talk to me about him."

"I can't not talk about him. You told me once that he's your life. For the record, he didn't ask me to talk to you; I wanted to talk to you. He's actually given up, if you must know." He gave Dean a white envelope. "Here. All the money you've given him."

"I don't want it."

"Funny. Neither does he."

"What the hell does he want then?"

"You."

Dean hung his head down. "Stop, Paul. Please."

"Just hear me out for a while. You love him, don't you?"

"Fuck, Paul. Sometimes you can love someone but things just don't work out. Haven't you heard that song by Don Henley? Sometimes love just isn't enough."

"But sometimes love can have its own miracles. By not fighting for it, well, I guess that love was never worth it to begin with."

That hit Dean. "Of course it's worth it. He's a good person."

"Then why are you telling him to keep away from you? I've been with you through everything. I've never been with him long enough but I can tell you he's utterly heartbroken. None of your ex boyfriends looked that way when you parted from them. I have some form of idea of what happened based on what Corey told me. I honestly think that he invited you out of sincerity. It didn't work out the way he thought. Apparently he punched his brother."

Dean looked at his manager in surprise. "Roman hit someone?" That was a first, considering how gentle Roman was. The man even refused to kill a fly.

"Guess love makes you do things. And this love's worth fighting for. I'm telling you this because you're like a son to me. I want the best for you and damn it, that one up there with the long raven hair and grey eyes is the best one for you. But I'm not going to force you, Dean. I'm only here to share with you how I feel. This is only something you can decide."

He kept quiet, letting Paul's words sink in. "His family-"

"His friend - I forgot his name - said he severed ties with them. With them out of the picture, it's just the two of you left. So now what?"

That was the question, wasn't it? There was a part of him that was emotionally exhausted but a huge part of him longed to hold Roman again. "Where is he?"

"Upstairs in the visitors' lounge."

"Let's go."

"I didn't force you," Paul reminded him.

"I know," Dean assured.

They found only Corey and Manu there when they arrived. "Where did he go?" Paul asked.

"He left," Corey replied. "We tried to hold him back but damn, he's actually strong."

Dean walked out of the centre with the three men hot on his trail. "Dean, we'll take my car," his manager said. "Come on."

He took out his phone, immediately calling Roman. "Pick up, damn it!" he said.

"Hey, Roman!"

Roman looked up from his beer at the Sportsman's Bar downtown. What was Seth doing here?

"Hey Seth!" the bartender greeted him. "Your usual?"

"Yep."

"You're a regular here?" Roman asked the two toned man who took the seat next to him.

Seth shrugged. "Oh yeah. I love the service. It's like Cheers. Everyone knows your name! So what are you doing here alone?" He smacked his forehead. "Oh right. Dean's in rehab."

"We're done."

Seth looked at him, surprised. "Dean and you are done? Like for real?"

Clearly no one informed Seth. "Yeah. He told me to stay away from him."

"Man. That's rough. I'm pretty sure he told Baron the same thing too when he saw him making out with Steve Austin."

Roman's heart broke. That was as good as any of an indication of the finality of their break up.

"So that's why you're drinking?" the lead guitarist asked.

"Yeah."

"Of course." Seth downed his vodka shot. "Nothing like alcohol. But don't drink a beer. Go for something stronger. I mean if you're going to drink your blues away, pick a better one."

"Like what?"

"Try a Bacardi 151." He leaned over the counter. "Hey, Dave. A shot of a Bacardi with Mountain Dew for my good friend here."

"You've got it," Dave the bartender answered.

"What are you doing here, Seth?" Roman asked.

"Me? It's my day off. I was supposed to meet this dude who was unable to show up at the last minute because some clown at work had to fly off home due to a family emergency. There goes my plans to get laid."

He had to laugh at that. "Still trying to get laid, Seth?"

"Hey, I have a good sexual appetite." He licked his lips. "Sex also helps me relieve my stress. Speaking of which, I see a good looking dude. Excuse me." He got out of his seat and approached a skinhead who sitting at the corner of the bar.

Dave served him his drink and he drank it the way Seth did. It was strong.

"What's a handsome man like you doing at a bar?" A good looking man with short brown hair and green eyes sat next to him. "You should be in a restaurant being wined and dined with nice gems too."

"Woah woah woah," Seth said before Roman could reply. "He's mine alright?"

"Didn't I see you hitting on that guy over there?" the man replied.

"We have this thing to see if we are still desirable to other men which we are."

Roman wondered why Seth was being adamant, considering Dean and him were finished.

The two toned man grabbed him by his arm. "Come on, babe. Let's finish what we started last tour."

Last tour? The one where he lied to Roman to get him to strip half naked?

"Dave, put both our drinks on my tab," Seth instructed before pulling Roman out of the bar. "Hey uh… let's go back to my place, alright?"

Seth was being weird. "I don't know, Seth…"

"I mean it's right above this bar."

"No wonder you come here."

Seth's apartment was a combination of two apartments. Its decor was that of a Scandinavian style. On thing that stood out was the huge couch in the living room in front of the biggest plasma screen Roman had ever seen.

"You have a nice home," he complimented.

"Thanks. I hired the designer to do everything for me so… oh and then I banged him in the bathroom."

Roman laughed again. "Was that his bonus?"

"Oh yeah."

Seth was looking at his watch repeatedly, Roman realised. "Are you expecting someone?"

"...No."

"I think I better head back, Seth. I still have packing to do."

"Packing?"

"Well, I'm going to stay in a motel until I can find an apartment I can afford to rent."

"No," Seth said, blocking his way. "I… uh… meant it when I said we should finish what we started."

Roman stared at him. "You were serious?"

"Uh yeah I mean you're hot, Roman. And you know... I'd like to have sex with you once in case we never see each other again."

He couldn't believe it. Seth was being serious. Sleeping with him would have a lot of consequences the first being that there was no way he could go back to the blue eyed man he used to call his. But did it even matter? Dean didn't even want to see him. He was always ridiculously stubborn.

"Uh… take your shirt off," Seth instructed.

"Now?"

"Y-Yeah…"

There was a knock on the door. Seth rolled his eyes. "Probably a damn salesman. I was just about to hit the shower."

"But you said-"

"I need to get washed up first."

The knocking persisted.

"I'll answer it," Roman replied.

"Thanks."

Roman opened the door just as Seth disappeared into his room.

Dean was standing in front, staring at him.

He took a step back, his heart pounding. Maybe Dean had more things he had to get off his chest. He'd have to take like a man and let him lash out at him before they parted ways.

"I called you, Roman," the auburn haired man said as he stepped into the house and kicked the door close. "Why didn't you answer?"

"You asked me to stay away."

"I say a lot of things in anger. It's a flaw of mine."

"Seth and I were about to-"

Dean looked upset. "And you agreed?"

"No but-"

"Seth! What the hell! You asked him to sleep with you?!"

The two toned man came out of the room, eyes darting nervously. "Hey! You were late. I had to say something to get him to stay. Besides, there was a man who was hitting on him at the bar. You should be thanking me; they could possibly be banging by now."

Roman had been walking towards the door but Dean blocked him. "Where do you think you're going? Downstairs? I think you'll find the rest of our friends there, waiting to intercept you if you escaped. They're our number one shippers, you know."

"Why?" the grey eyed man asked.

"Why? Because we belong together, that's why. I said what I said in anger. I didn't mean to hurt you. Paul and I talked and your friend, Manu filled me in along the way here about what happened. You have to understand that I was tired of being blamed on, for being their punching bag. They had it coming. But it wasn't right for me to lash out at you and I'm sorry. I really am."

"You said you didn't want to see anyone especially me."

"I know but I'm here, aren't I?"

"I have to go. I promised that man a date," he lied. There was no way he could stay in this relationship after failing to defend Dean when he was being abused by his "family".

Dean didn't look pleased. "You what?!"

"I-"

"Moved on fast, did you? I think you forgot how well I know you too. You had Joseph. You had Jason. You still chose me. What makes you think that I believe you when you tell me that you promised that man a date?"

"I did."

"Well. Let's go down and ask him, shall we?"

"There is no we!"

Dean raised an eyebrow at his raised voice. "Of course there is. We're going to celebrate our first anniversary in a month plus. Then our second. After that our tenth. Later our thirtieth. Possibly our fiftieth. Maybe our seventieth. I'm not sure about that last one at this point. What I am sure is that I love you. I always will."

Telling him all the things he dreamt of hearing. Why was he making it so hard?

"What I am also sure of is that you love me and you always will." Dean smiled, his dimples appearing. Damn it. "You told me to stop fighting it. I'm asking you to do otherwise. This love is worth fighting for, Roman. There's no way I'm allowing either of us to tap out."

His boyfriend pulled him into his arms and kissed him, leaving him no room to argue. Not that he was going to anyway. How could he even after that?

"I'm sorry," Dean apologised again.

Roman shook his head. "I'm the one who should be apologising. I should have defended you better. I'm a horrible boyfriend."

"I doubt it. I don't take crap from no one. You can ask Seth."

The Samoan man looked up. Seth's bedroom door was closed. "How did you come out of rehab without Dr Foley knowing?"

"Corey called him. I expect tomorrow's counselling to be a tough one." He kissed Roman on his forehead. "Come on. Send me back. I want your ass to visit me tomorrow during lunch. Don't worry about Seth. He's probably showering."

As they walked down the stairs, Rosey called his cellphone. He rejected the call. Still his brother called again.

Roman rejected it again.

There was a vibration after, indicating that a message had been sent.

He ignored it.

A/N Was rejecting Rosey's message a wise move? Thank you for your kind reviews, favorites and follows. I appreciate it.