Chapter 14

Seth drove home on autopilot. His entire body felt numb from what had just happened to him. He could feel the dulling pain of his injuries at various points all over his body but his mind just shut down any thought process relating to it.

As he parked his car, he nervously got out of it and softly closed the door. Roman was at home and Seth hoped to God that he didn't look outside and see him. He definitely couldn't face him right now. He quickly made his way to the stairs pulling the hood of his hoodie over his head. He breathed a sigh of relief when he reached his front door and no Roman in sight.

He unlocked the door and walked inside. As he closed the door he saw Dean sitting on the couch watching television. He was about to say a greeting when he closed his mouth. He didn't want Dean looking up at him and noticing his face. He kept his head straight and walked quickly to his bedroom and closed the door. He threw off the hood and unzipped the jacket. He dropped it on the floor and his shirt quickly followed. He then turned around and looked at himself in the full length mirror.

A purple bruise had already formed under his eye. On the left side of his ribs a large bruise was forming. He touched it gently and quickly pulled back his fingers wincing at the pain. Psyching himself up he placed his palm flat against the bruise, feeling and pressing against the skin. A painful groan escaped his lips. He pulled away his hand as his eyes started to water. Nothing didn't feel broken but he couldn't go to work like this. The bruise would be noticeable at least for the next few days. Seth climb into bed, facing away from the door. Makeup would help hide the discolouration but he knew he couldn't move as fluid as normal in his dancing.

A single tear escaped and ran down his cheek. He still couldn't believe that Damien had done this to him. The sick brute probably did it on purpose knowing that Seth couldn't perform when he looked like this. After Cancun, Seth thought that he had meant more to Damien but obviously he was wrong. Damien saw him as nothing more than his personal sex worker. A few more tears escaped. Seth couldn't deny that it stung that it had to end like this between him and Damien. But now, he couldn't even face Roman. Seth was even more scared about what his boyfriend might say if he saw him. He squeezed his eyes shut trying to forget as another tear dripped through his long lashes.

Dean thought that it was a bit odd the way that Seth had hurried past him to get to his room but then again Seth was never the most polite of persons. About an hour and a half later Dean was starting to get hungry and decided to order a pizza for dinner. He made his way to Seth's room to ask him what he wanted on it.

He knocked on the door. " Hi Seth?" No answer.

Dean turned the knob and stepped inside. Seth's back was to him and he could tell that he wasn't sleeping. " Seth, I'm going to order a pizza. What do you want on it?"

" I'm not hungry." Seth's voice was partially muffled by the pillow as he spoke.

" You're not hungry?" Dean took a step closer to his bed. " You're always hungry. Are you okay?"

" I'm fine. Just leave me alone." Seth snapped.

Dean recoiled from the hostility. Seth sounded like how he did when he had first arrived. " What the fuck is your problem? I was just asking a simple question."

" I'm just not hungry Dean," Seth replied a lot calmer. " I just want to rest okay?"

" Are you sure that you're okay?" Dean looked down at him noticing that Seth was almost curled up in a ball.

He sat on the bed next to Seth and noticed that he had immediately tensed up. Seth was definitely acting a bit strange.

He placed his hand on Seth's shoulder. " Seth? Is something wrong?"

" No." Dean was certain that he heard a sob being choked back.

He leaned over Seth's head and gently pulled back his hair. A gasp escaped his lips when he saw the bruise underneath Seth's left eye. " What the hell happened?"

Seth brushed away his hand. " Nothing. Just leave me alone."

But Dean brought his hand back and pulled back the hair. He then quickly pulled Seth's shoulder down so that he was lying flat on his back looking up at Dean. The bruise under his eyes plain as day.

" Seth what the fuck happened? Who did this to you? Did you get in a fight?" Dean's mind was racing. He had never expected to see Seth like this.

" No I wasn't in a fight." Seth replied meekly as he looked down at his feet.

" Did something hit you?"

" No."

" Then what happened? Who did this to you?" Seth's reluctance at answering the question was scaring him a bit.

Seth didn't respond and casted his eyes away from him.

Dean wedged his arm between Seth's neck and the pillow and brought him up to his chest. He saw Seth's arm slip from his side and how quickly Seth brought it back up. With one hand cradling Seth's head, he used the other to pull away the resistant arm. His eyes opening wide at the unsightly bruise.

" Holy shit! How the hell did this happen?" He softly touched the bruise on the ribs and Seth winced. " Who the fuck did this to you?"

Seth's brown eyes looked watery and that's when Dean realized that Seth was also scared to admit who it was. " It's okay Seth. I won't let whoever did this to you harm you again. But you need to tell me who did this."

Seth shooked his head against Dean's chest. Something wet had touched his arm and Dean looked down to see a tear that had fallen from Seth. He then realized that it had to be someone who was close to Seth who had done this. A chilling thought ran through his mind but Dean had to ask the question.

" Did Roman do this to you?"

Dean swore that if Reigns had did this that he would go immediately downstairs and smash his face in. He knew that Seth could be trying at times but he didn't deserve this.

" No. Romie didn't do this." Seth choked out a sob.

The suspense was killing Dean. Whoever did this had to be someone who had been close to Seth. But who?

Seth's head was resting against his chest and it was obvious that he was now coming to grips to what had happened to him. " It's going to be okay Seth." Dean planted a kiss on his forehead. " Everything is going to be alright."

It hurt Dean to see how upset Seth was and how useless he was to stop it. " Do you want anything Seth?"

The younger man shook his head. Dean placed his arms around Seth's waist and he shifted into Dean's lap. He said nothing as Seth's tears wetted his t-shirt. He held him for a while until his tears lessened.

" It was Dae," Seth said quietly.

Dean wasn't sure that he had heard him. " What did you say Seth?"

Seth looked up at Dean. The ugly purple bruise marring his beautiful skin. " It was Dae. Dae did this."

Dean's grip tightened on Seth. " That fucking piece of shit. I'll beat his fucking head in. Where the fuck does he get off putting his hands on you?"

Seth looked back down at his lap. Dean kissed his forehead again. " It's going to be okay Seth. Rome and I will take care of it."

" No!" Seth pulled away. His eyes opened wide with fright. " Don't tell Rome. He can't find out." He grabbed Dean's forearm. " Please Dean, don't tell him."

" Why not Seth? He cares about you. I know he wouldn't be too happy when he finds this out."

Seth shook his head. " You don't understand." He took a deep breath. " I went to Damien today to officially end things between us. I didn't do it a few weeks ago when I said that I would. Damien was going through some tough things and I didn't want to end it like that so I decided to wait." Seth paused and looked up at Dean. " But I told Roman that I was his. He said that he wasn't going to be with me unless I ended things with Damien and I really wanted to be with him. So I figured if I put it off for a little bit no one would find out. I did everything I could to avoid Damien and I didn't do anything with him since I gave Rome my word that Damien and I were over." Seth took in a huge gulp of air. " So when I told Damien that things were over between us he got really angry with me and started to push me around and I was so shocked that I didn't even fight back." Seth sniffled. " Now look at me. If Roman finds out about this he would know that I lied to him and he'll leave me Dean. I know he would." Seth squeezed Dean's hand tightly. " That's why you can't tell him Dean, please."

Dean's mind was swirling with Seth's confession. He still wanted to knock some teeth out of Damien's head but understood Seth's reluctance at telling Roman. The poor kid probably thought that this beating was a result of him lying to Roman about Damien.

" Okay Seth, I'm not going to tell him but you can't avoid him forever. Eventually he'll want to see you."

" I know. But I can't let him see me like this. I'm hideous." Seth pouted.

Dean knew that he shouldn't laugh but he couldn't help but to smile at Seth's words. He was still as vain as always. " You're not hideous."

He leaned in and kissed Seth softly on the lips who returned the kiss automatically. A small smile appeared on Seth's lips. " Now that's better." Dean said ruffling Seth's hair. " Now go and take a shower. I think I got some stuff to put on your bruises that should ease the swelling."

Dean got off the bed and was heading to the door when Seth tugged his arm. As soon as he turned around he felt Seth's lips pressing against his. His arms slipped around Seth's lower back as their lips opened and closed over each other's. It was taking all of Dean's self control to keep his tongue in mouth as they exchanged kisses. Seth's lips were soft and the warmth radiating from them was quite inviting. He wanted to taste the insides of Seth's mouth. However as soon as his guard was starting to fall, Seth ended the kiss.

His roommate just smiled at him and then walked past him and went into his own bathroom and closed the door. Dean stood in doorway breathing hard staring at the closed door. He just didn't understand what was going on between him and Seth. He knew that Seth cared deeply for Roman but sometimes it felt as if Seth wanted him as well. The way how Seth had just kissed him with tenderness with a hint of passion left him not knowing what to make of the situation.

" Get it together Ambrose." He told himself as he went to retrieve the stuff for Seth's injuries.

" Ouch!"

" Keep still."

" Dean! That burns."

" Well it's alcohol. What do you expect?"

" You're hurting me!"

" Stop squirming. Fuck! You made me spill some on the bed."

Seth looked down on the darkening wet spot on his sheets. " These are six hundred thread count Egyptian cotton sheets Dean."

" Well if you would have stopped moving it wouldn't have happened." Dean replied firmly. He pressed the swab of cotton wool that had been saturated with alcohol against the bruise on Seth's ribs.

" It burns!" Seth thrashed his long legs about on the bed. After showering he donned a pair of black and red briefs much to Dean's dismay.

" You're a fucking sissy. Keep quiet." Dean took off the cotton and then started to massage and ointment onto the delicate area.

" Ow! Not so hard Dean. I'm sensitive." Seth whined.

" A sensitive pain in the ass." Dean muttered.

Seth glared at him and Dean ignored him making sure to get the product all over the swollen area.

" Okay I'm done. You're lucky that nothing was broken." As soon as Dean spoke he wished that he could take back what he had said.

Seth's expression grew dark and he turned over on his right side with his back to Dean.

" Seth, I'm sorry."

" It's not your fault." Seth rolled his head over to look at him. " It's my fault for putting it off."

" Hey now," Dean stretched himself out on the bed next to Seth. " Don't blame yourself for this. The guy's a prick. You didn't deserve this."

" But I lied to Romie."

Dean cradled Seth's head. " Yeah you did but what's done is done. I don't think Roman would break up with you because of it."

Seth didn't look convinced. He turned around and brought his body up against Dean's. He rested his head on Dean's chest. " If Romie comes by, just tell him that I'm sick okay?"

" Seth..." Dean didn't want to lie to Roman even if Seth was scared.

" Please Dean?" He pressed his lips briefly against the center of Dean's chest. " I can't handle it right now. Tell him that I have the flu."

His large brown eyes gaze up into Dean's light blue ones. " Please?"

Dean relented against his better judgement. " Okay fine."

Seth reached up and kissed his lips and then placed his head back on Dean's chest. " Thank you."

Dean started to feel a bit uncomfortable having Seth so close to him. He could smell his shampooed hair. Feel his smooth skin. The pressure of his lips against his still lingered. If Roman wasn't his friend he wouldn't be holding himself back like this from Seth.

He started to ease his arm from behind Seth's neck but his roommate stopped him.

" What are you doing?"

" I'm going to my room."

" No Dean. Can you just stay with me?" Seth pleaded. " You make me feel safe."

Fuck. He couldn't turn him down now after that. " Fine. I'll stay."

Seth smiled.

" Now move over. You've got me lying down in the wet spot."

Seth chuckled and moved over in the king sized bed. When Dean had settled back down, Seth cuddled against him once more. " I like being close to you." Seth said as he closed his eyes.

Dean rubbed Seth's shoulder in response. How could Seth keep on saying these sort of things to him without realizing how it made him feel? Dean knew that it was pointless in denying that he had feelings for his roommate. He just kept chipping away at Dean's defences and he knew a time was coming when all of his walls might come down and Seth would still be oblivious to all of it.

He heard Seth breathing steadily and peered down at him sleeping on his chest. He looked so vulnerable and innocent that Dean swore that the next time that he saw Mr. Damien Sandow, he would get something to remember Dean by.

When Dean awoke, Seth's bedroom was covered in darkness. The man himself was still fast asleep on Dean's chest. It honestly felt nice to feel the warmth of Seth's body against his. Dean caressed Seth's back wondering what he had gotten himself into.

The rumbling from his stomach brought him back to reality. He was damn hungry. He slowly untangled his body from Seth's and eased out of the bed. He unfolded the blanket at the foot of the bed and pulled it over Seth up to his shoulders.

Dean flicked on the lights in the living room as he made his way into the kitchen. He turned on the lights in there as well. After peering into the fridge, he decided to make himself a sandwich. He ate it at the breakfast bar as his mind went over the events of the day. He was pissed as fuck at Damien for hitting Seth. He probably knew that Seth wouldn't press any charges because he knew that Damien was well connected. He knew that the L.A.P.D. would laugh a stripper out of the precinct if he brought any charges against someone like Sandow. That was what life here in La La Land was like. Sweet living for the rich and famous and no fucks were given for the rest of them.

He could tell that Seth was indeed scared about losing Roman but he couldn't hide his face forever. Dean brushed the crumbs off his face and took his plate to the sink to wash it. That kiss that they had shared had sent a shock straight through his system. The last good kiss he had like that was well from Roman. The one that they had shared that night on his front porch. Dean turned off the tap and dried his hands. These two men were driving him crazy.

Dean was about to go back to Seth's bedroom when he heard a persistent knocking on the front door. He wondered who it could have been calling on that time. Opening the door, he should have known.

" Hi Rome."

" Hi." Roman looked back at him expectantly. He was wearing gym shorts, a t-shirt and a pair of flip flops. He had obviously been at home the entire day.

" Come on in." Dean stepped to one side to allow Roman to pass. He closed the door behind him. " What brings you by?"

He noticed that Roman was looking all around the living room and kitchen as if he was searching for something. " Where's Seth? I haven't seen him all day and he hasn't responded to any of my texts."

Dean felt his blood run cold. The moment of truth was here. He didn't want to lie to Roman but he didn't want to betray Seth's confidence in him either in case he did actually mess up their relationship. " He's uh... in his bedroom."

" Oh okay." Roman turned to walk towards the hallway.

Dean walked quickly and grabbed his arm. " He's sick though. He has the flu." Damn though, he did sound like a convincing liar.

Roman's expression immediately softened. " My baby's sick? No wonder he didn't return any of my texts."

Dean nodded. " Yeah he has been sleeping for most of the day."

" Well I'm just going to peek in at him then."

Roman walked down the corridor before Dean could stop him. The nerve wracking seconds ticked by as Roman pushed opened the bedroom door and stepped inside.

In the darkness Roman could make out Seth's sleeping form curled up in the bed. He looked so peaceful that he didn't want to disturb him. He watched him sleep for a moment or two and then he left the room. He found Dean sitting at the breakfast bar.

" Why didn't you tell me that he was sick?" Roman's grey eyes accused him. " I could've come over earlier and taken care of him."

" I really didn't think about it." Dean's mind working overtime for an excuse and at the same time hating how many lies he had to tell. " He hasn't been a problem though."

" Really?" Roman raised his eyebrow skeptically. " I mean he's my boyfriend and all but even I know how high maintenance he can be."

Dean laughed in an attempt to calm his nerves. " Yeah I guess it takes being sick to shut him up."

Roman chuckled at Dean's joke. " I guess." He came over to the other side of the bar and stood next to Dean. " Do you guys have everything? Do you need me to run to the store to get anything?"

" Nah man. We're good." Dean looked down at his hands wishing that this conversation would be over soon.

" Are you okay Dean?" Roman's hand rested on Dean's hip.

" Yeah I'm fine."

" Are you sure?" Roman grasped Dean's chin between his thumb and index finger and tilted it up at him.

Dean could barely find his voice to speak as he found himself becoming increasingly aware of how close he and Roman were to each other. " Yeah." The word was choked out above a whisper.

Dean's felt his breath catch in his throat as Roman's hand moved up his bare back over his spine up the back of his neck to end in his hair. Dean only closed his eyes when he felt Roman's mouth covering his. The kiss was slow and sensual. Roman's full lips caressing his smaller ones. The tips of their tongues touched and immediately Dean opened his mouth to give way to Roman's tongue. Their tongues slid over one another as Roman angled his head to deepen the intense kiss even further. Dean could barely think straight as the kiss contunued. He shouldn't be doing this but damn it felt good to receive a proper kiss after being teased relentlessly by Seth.

He was disappointed when he heard Roman moan and then pulled away from him. His mouth immediately missing the warmth of Roman's. They stared at each other as Roman placed his hands on both of Dean's shoulders.

" I'm sorry Dean. I know that I'm probably a douche for doing this but I find you really attractive and I can't stop thinking about us at the club and..." Roman took a deep breath to calm himself. " I'm just rambling. Sorry."

Dean just stared at him for a few more seconds before he could find his voice. " It's okay. I've thought about it too."

" You have?" Roman sounded a bit too hopeful but he couldn't help it. He could feel something forming between him and Dean and he didn't know what to do about it.

" Yeah." At least with Roman they were acknowledging the obvious attraction between them. Unlike Seth who made Dean feel as if he was imagining the entire thing sometimes.

Roman tapped his lips against Dean's. " If things were different." Dean waited for more to come but that was all that he said.

The larger man walked to door and opened it. " I need to go before I do things that I regret." All the same Roman pulled Dean towards him and kissed him for a few seconds before he left and went down the stairs.

Dean closed the door, leaning back against it. His brain had been completely muddled. First Seth had kissed him and now Roman. What the fuck was going on?

A/N: Yes indeed. What the fuck is going on? Do you think that Seth is going to tell Roman the truth about Damien?