Chapter 30

" Romie? Can I talk to you?"

A few tense seconds passed and Roman opened his front door fully and ushered Seth inside with a sweep of his arm.

Seth walked in and sat on the couch while Roman watched with uncertainty.

" Roman... um... I'm sorry for the way that I've been acting for the past couple of days." Seth looked up at him from under his dark heavy lashes silently awaiting his reply.

Reigns was genuinely surprised by Seth's apology. He didn't think that he had it in him. " What brought you to that conclusion?" He sat on the coffee table infront of Seth while the younger man leaned forward and rested his forearms on his knees.

" Well I know that you're only doing it for us and..." Seth paused for moment. " Dean yelled at me."

Roman chuckled softly. " I should have known that Dean had something to do with it." He moved next to Seth on the couch. " But what I don't understand Seth is why you were so upset. I thought that we could talk about anything baby but you just shut me out completely. How come?"

Seth sighed heavily and looked at Roman. White tank top, grey gym shorts. Hair messily pulled back in a bun and yet he looked divine in Seth's eyes. But Dean was right. He did owe Roman the truth about his past.

" There's something I need to tell you Rome."

Roman noticed the heavy look on Seth's face. He could tell that something was weighing him down and bothering him. He gently cupped Seth's jaw and stroked his cheek with his thumb. " You can tell me anything baby."

" It's about my past before I came to L.A." Seth spoke slowly. He hoped to God that Dean was right and that Roman would still love him the same.

Roman looked at him curiously and placed an arm around his shoulder. " Go on. I'm listening."

Seth took a deep breath and then told Roman the same story that he had told Dean. When he had finished he looked at Roman expectantly waiting for him to say something, anything.

" Aren't you going to say something Romie?" That tiny bit of fear creeping into his voice.

" Wow." Roman said finally and got up from the couch and walked into the kitchen.

Seth followed behind him. The anxiety in his heart growing. " That's all you have to say?"

Roman took a water bottle from the fridge. He twisted off the cap and took a long drink. " It's a lot to process."

" That doesn't make me feel any better Romie." Seth crossed his arms and looked at him as he took another drink. Seth swallowed hard and voiced his fear. " You're disgusted by what I did aren't you?"

Roman didn't look at Seth as he returned the bottle to the fridge. " I didn't say that now did I?"

" But you aren't saying that you aren't either." Seth was trying hard to keep his emotions under control but he knew that he was already losing it. " Why can't you just say it?"

Roman fixed his eyes on him but there was something cold in his face that made Seth take a step back. " I said that it's a lot to process. Just give me some time alright?"

Seth shook his head. The tears already running down his cheeks. " No I get it Romie. You don't want a whore for a boyfriend. I mean who would right?" Seth looked at him through his water filled eyes hoping that Roman would say that he was wrong but all he got was a blank look in return.

Seth half ran through the living room until he reached the front door and yanked it open. He took the stairs two at a time up to his apartment. He flung himself down on the couch crying harder than he ever had in a long time. It felt as if his entire body was hurting. The pain just radiated out his chest and down to his lower extremities. His Romie didn't want him anymore.

Mark seemed to have a thing for bartenders with foreign accents Dean mused. The new guy working with him tonight was from South Africa and his name was Justin. He was smaller than Dean but well built with black hair hanging across his face. The waitresses were flirting with him all night and so were some of the female customers. He noticed that Justin only flirted back with the hot ones.

The night wasn't that busy and as Dean glanced up from beer tap he saw a familiar body making its way towards him. Dean could hardly believe his eyes. It was Seth in a pair of jeans and a rumpled t-shirt. His hair was in a messy ponytail and he was wearing a pair of sunglasses. Under normal circumstances Seth would never leave the house unless he was picture perfect. Something had to have happened.

" Cover me for a few minutes." Dean said to Justin who nodded in response.

Dean exited the bar as soon as Seth reached him. He put his arm around his shoulder and pulled him close not caring who was watching.

" Is everything okay Seth?"

Seth shook his head and sniffled loudly.

Dean led Seth into the back of the establishment and into the familiar store room. He turned on the light and locked the door behind them. He sat on the table and then pulled Seth in between his legs. He carefully removed Seth's sunglasses and placed them on the table next to him. He used his index finger to tilt Seth's face up so that he could have a good look at him. His eyes were red and puffy and had the tiredness of someone who had been crying for a long time.

" What happened Sethie?" Dean asked gently.

" He hates me." Seth forced out in a messy sob. Fresh tears trickled down his face again.

" Who does?" Dean figured that he already knew the answer but he didn't want to jump to conclusions.

" R-r-romie!" Seth wailed and pressed his face into Dean's chest soaking his black dress shirt.

Dean stroked Seth's back trying to comfort him. " It's going to be okay baby. It's going to be okay. You told him about your past like you told me?"

Seth nodded moving his head up and down against Dean's chest.

" So what happened?"

Seth lifted his head and told him how Roman reacted between sobs and wails. Dean couldn't believe it. Okay Roman didn't say that he hated him but he didn't give Seth any reassurance either. The poor kid was devastated and heart broken. He kissed Seth's forehead and used his shirt to wipe away his tears. " It's going to be alright baby I promise. I'll talk to him and see what his deal is. Do you want me to do that?"

The way how Seth looked at him as if he was his only hope nearly overwhelmed him. He had been the one to push Seth to be honest with Roman and now looked what happened.

Seth's sobs were lessening and Dean hoped that he would never hear those gut wrenching cries again. It actually pained him to hear and see Seth like that.

Dean slid off the table and handed Seth his sunglasses. " C'mon. Let's get you cleaned up."

He took Seth to the men's bathroom where he washed his tear stained face and Dean handed him tissues to dry it.

" Do you want to wait on me baby?"

Seth nodded meekly and pressed his face into Dean's neck. " But I don't want to be around all those people."

" Okay." Dean took him into the corridor and then went down to the back to the big office.

He knocked on the door and waited until he heard the deep voice say " Come in" before he opened the door.

" Mark, this is Seth my boyfriend. Can he stay with you while I finish up my shift?"

Mark had heard about Seth before but that was back when Dean wanted to kick him out. Looking at the man who had his head resting on Dean's shoulder and who was peering at him meekly through large brown eyes, he could hardly believe that he was the handful that Dean had described. Plus Mark could tell that he seemed a bit sad about something.

Mark nodded his head. " Sure."

" Thanks Mark." Dean turned his attention back to Seth. He kissed him at the temple and gave him a small smile. " I have two more hours left and then I'll come and get you okay?"

Seth nodded and looked at Mark timidly.

" Do you want an eclair Seth?" Mark pushed a crystal bowl full of individually wrapped ones towards him. " These are handmade from a nice artisan shop that I go to."

" Thank you." Seth took one of the eclairs, unwrapped it and popped it in his mouth. His face almost lighted up instantly. " Oh these are good." He sat in the chair opposite Mark's desk. " Where's this shop?"

" Oh it's a couple of miles down the road in a strip mall. It's actually next to the store where I get my Italian silk sheets." Mark took one of the eclairs for himself.

" Wait a minute. You sleep on silk sheets Mark?" Dean could hardly believe it.

" Of course I do." Mark looked at Dean mildly offended. " A man of my stature and age can't sleep on just any old thing."

Seth nodded in agreement. " Oh I need to find that place. I normally have to go to Beverly Hills to get mine. And I need a new set since Dean ruined mine a couple weeks ago."

" I thought you washed those."

Seth sighed and shook his head. " But they were never the same."

Mark nodded sympathetically. " I feel ya. I lost a set of mine to a glass of red wine."

" Oh no!" Seth looked at Mark in horror. " That's terrible."

Dean realized that he was the odd man out in this conversation and eased quietly out of the office glad that at least Seth and Mark seemed to have hit it off, even if they made quite an odd pair.

Two hours later as Dean made his way back to Mark's office he was a bit anxious about how Seth and Mark were getting along. He really hoped that Seth had managed to keep his obnoxious behaviour at bay. When he reached the door he could hear Seth laughing and then Mark's deep laughter following behind. Dean was felt a wave of relief and opened the door.

" Hi Dean!" Seth greeted him cheerfully. He held up a small plastic bag in his hand. " Mark gave me some eclairs."

" I've never gotten any eclairs." Dean replied looking at Mark.

" Eclairs are for people who appreciate the finer things in life." Mark playfully jibbed.

Seth laughed and Dean shook his head in amusement.

" Well I guess I have to go now." Seth stood up and stretched his hand across the desk. " It was really awesome meeting you Mark."

Mark gave him a firm handshake. " Same here kid." He released his hand and looked at Dean. " You've got a good guy here Ambrose. Please take care of him and don't fuck it up."

" That's right Dean, don't fuck it up." Seth repeated with a cheeky grin.

Dean playfully tousled his boyfriend's hair. " I won't."

Mark smiled to himself as he watched the pair leave. He genuinely did like Seth. He seemed to have his head in the clouds a lot but there was something sincere about him that he liked plus he was just what Ambrose needed to keep him on his toes.

" You and Mark seemed to have really hit off." Dean commented as he walked with his arm around Seth's waist into the carpark.

Seth was already sucking on an eclair. " Yup. He's really cool. I like him. Plus he gave me the name of a guy who tailor makes Italian suits."

Dean sighed loudly and Seth giggled.

When they reached Seth's car, Dean pressed his lips against Seth's. " I'll be right behind you on the drive home okay?"

Seth nodded and Dean could see the sadness to return to Seth's face. " It's going to be alright." He kissed Seth again and watched as he got into the car placing the bag of eclairs next to him on the passenger seat.

As they drove down the highway, Dean could've sworn that he saw a wrapper from the eclairs fly right by him. He should've known that his Sethie wouldn't have waited until they had gotten home.

When they pulled up to the parking area in front of the apartment, Dean noticed that Roman's car was already there. He looked over at Seth and saw that he was staring at it as well. Dean got out of his car and was about to walk over to Roman's apartment when Seth grabbed his arm.

He saw the apprehension and fear all over Seth's face with his bottom lip quivering slightly. " What is it Seth? Don't you want me to go talk to him?"

" I..." Seth started and then looked down at the ground. " I can't face him yet. Not now. Please?"

Dean wanted nothing more than to walk into that apartment and demand Roman to tell him what the problem was but seeing the desperation on Seth's face broke him. " Okay." He wrapped his arm around Seth's shoulder and together they walked up stairs to their apartment.

When they got inside Dean noticed Seth taking out another eclair. " Are you hungry Seth?"

" Yup. Starving." Seth was about to unwrap it when Dean took it out of his hands.

" Go take a shower. I'll make you a sandwich."

Seth smiled at him and kissed him on the cheek. " Thanks Dean."

He watched as his boyfriend walked away and placed the eclair on the countertop. He fixed sandwiches for both of them leaving Seth's on the counter as he sat on the couch and turned on the television. After flipping through the channels he decided to settle on the familiar Law and Order marathon. The damn show kept on sucking him back in. As Dean bit into his ham sandwich he mused that this was the second time in a matter of days that he had to be the mediator between Roman and Seth. He always thought that they had everything together and that they were the perfect couple but he figured that they were even some things that love couldn't fix. That maybe, they needed him as much as he needed them.

Seth came out fresh from the shower in a pair of black satin boxers. He took up the plate with his sandwich and the eclair that was on the counter and joined Dean on the couch. Dean stole glances at him as he ate. He couldn't figure out just how Seth managed to worm his way into his heart.

He decided that he would go take a shower while Seth finished up eating. When Dean got out of the shower, he dried his skin and secured the towel around his waist. Upon entering his bedroom he was surprised to Seth sitting on his bed waiting for him.

" I thought you were watching tv?"

" Do I strike you as a Law and Order person Dean?"

" Well I suppose not." Dean looked around his room wondering if he should slip something on before he got into bed.

However the decision was made for him when he felt Seth undoing the towel around his waist. He watched as Seth dropped the towel on the floor and placed his warm hands on either side of his hips. He sighed contentedly when Seth started leaving soft, loving kisses just below his navel. He lightly ran his fingers through Seth's hair as he made his way down to area just above the base of his cock. Seth tugged his hips lightly and Dean took it as a signal that Seth wanted him on the bed.

He laid down in the center of the bed and Seth moved next to him. Seth hovered over him for a few seconds before lowering himself to press against Dean's body and to kiss him. Instantly Dean tasted the sweetness of the eclair on Seth's lips. Seth's tongue was probing into his mouth and he welcomed it. Dean sucked on the tip of Seth's tongue savouring the tastes of the caramel and chocolate as his hands slid down the smoothness of Seth's back to rest on the waistband of his boxers.

Dean moaned as Seth placed suckling kisses along his neck and on to his chest. Seth's lips felt delicious on his skin. His kisses were always welcomed on his body. Being with Seth always felt like such an unique experience that he could never duplicate with anyone else. Dean couldn't figure it if it was because he loved him or if it was because of Seth himself.

Seth licked his cock and it snapped Dean out of his reprieve. He sat up a bit, resting back on his forearms as he watched Seth kiss and lick his cock. His baby definitely knew how to tease him. Dean combed his fingers through Seth's loose hair, enjoying the feel of the soft, silky strands underneath his fingertips. The short look that Seth gave him as he did it made him stop. He sat up and gently lifted Seth's head up from his member.

" You know that you don't have to do this."

Dean's eyes searched Seth's face. That look of approval that had flashed across Seth's face was quite noticeable now. He could tell that Seth was doing it because he thought that it would make him happy.

" Seth, I'm not going anywhere." Keeping his hand underneath Seth's chin he drew him closer. " You don't have to do any of that stuff to keep me here."

Dean could see the relief washing across Seth's face before his eyes got wet again and he rested his head against Dean's chest. He laid back down with Seth against him as he sobbed quietly.

" I don't want to lose you too."

Dean locked one arm around Seth's waist and kissed his forehead. " I told you baby. I'm not leaving you. You need to believe me okay?"

He felt Seth nodding against his chest in response. " Hey, look at me." Seth turned his head resting his chin on Dean's shoulder. " Rome didn't leave you. He just needs some time to think about it."

" But you know what that means. I remember what you told me. Nobody wants what everyone else has already seen." Seth sniffled.

Dean regretted being so harsh on Seth that first night they all went out to dinner. He had no idea how deep his words were cutting Seth at the time. " Sethie, I should have never said that to you. I was just angry and maybe a bit jealous. I'm sorry."

Seth wiped his tears with the back of his hand. " No you were right. I was probably just fooling myself all along."

" Seth don't say that. I want you." He cupped Seth's face with both hands. " I love you." He kissed him softly tasting the salty tears on Seth's lips which in turn sadden him a bit but he had to be strong for Seth.

Seth calmed down and kept silent while Dean held him. Eventually Dean turned off the bedside lamp and pulled the blanket over both of them.

" Dean?"

" Yes baby boy?"

Seth turned to face him. " Suppose Romie doesn't want to be with me anymore, are you still going to be with him?"

Dean honestly had never thought about the dynamics of their relationship like that until now. Was he truly willing to give up his relationship with Roman, a man he was sure he was almost completely in love with, for Seth? How could he continue to see Roman if he couldn't handle being with Seth?

Seth looked so unnervingly young in the pale silver moonlight. He could see the anxiety all across Seth's face as he waited for his answer.

Dean kissed him.

A/N: What's bothering Roman? Do you think Dean could truly give Roman up for Seth? Thank you guys so much for your reviews, follows and favourites. I never expected so much for this story.